Ukraine launched a wave of overnight drone strikes deep into Russia early Wednesday, hitting a major logistics hub belonging to e-commerce Wildberries in the Ryazan region.
At least nine Wildberries facilities have been targeted in the past two weeks as Kyiv steps up attacks on warehouses, after accusing the firm of helping to bolster Vladimir Putin’s war machine.
According to Data Insight analyst Sergei Semko, goods destroyed by strikes on Wildberries warehouses in Moscow and Tambov regions alone were worth up to an estimated $2.9 billion.
What is Wildberries?
Wildberries is Russia's largest online marketplace.
It has been called the country's equivalent of Amazon, as its business model resembles a mix of Amazon Marketplace, eBay, and Temu.
Founded in 2004 by Tatyana Kim, who is now Russia's richest woman, the company has since become the dominant e-commerce platform in Russia and several neighbouring countries.
Hosting millions of third-party sellers, the platform sells almost everything, from electronics to groceries.
It operates a vast network of warehouses, sorting centres, and logistics hubs across Russia.
Now, its facilities are being deliberately targeted by Ukrainian drones.
Why is Ukraine attacking Wildberries?
Kyiv’s reasons for attacking Wildberries appear to be two-fold.
Ukrainian officials say that the company's warehouses and transport network is actively involved in storing or transport goods that ultimately support the Russian military, a claim Moscow denies.
Because Kyiv alleges that the company is part of Russia's wartime logistics and economic infrastructure, they insist Wildberries’ infrastructure is a legitimate target.
However, the attacks also appear to be part of an attempt to increase economic pressure on Russia.
An executive at Ukraine’s leading arms producer, Fire Point, emphasised that Wildberries is being targeted partly because of its partnership with state-controlled bank VTB.
Full article: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/wildberries-ukraine-russia-amazon-warehouse-attacks-b3023631.html
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