Reuters: The Kremlin Finds Itself In A Difficult Situation
- 22.07.2026, 7:47
After drones attacked one of Wildberries' largest warehouses in Russia.
The Russian equivalent of Amazon, the Wildberries online store, and sellers operating through it, have suffered losses due to Ukrainian attacks on warehouses belonging to this retailer. This was reported by the Kremlin, according to Reuters.
The publication noted that on Saturday, drones struck two major logistics hubs in Kotovsk and Elektrostal. As a result of these strikes, eight employees were killed, fires broke out, and operations were disrupted at Russia’s largest online retailer, which is capable of processing more than 20 million orders per day.
“Although the extent of the damage remains unclear, the attacks on a company that plays such a vital role in the consumer economy indicate an expansion of Kyiv’s strategy to use long-range drones to undermine Russia’s military efforts and pressure the Kremlin to make peace,” Reuters emphasizes.
At the same time, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that the situation is complicated due to losses incurred by the company itself and by small and medium-sized businesses. He also refuted accusations from Ukraine that Wildberries is involved in the supply of military equipment.
"Wildberries" started out as an online store reselling clothing from European catalogs. The company subsequently expanded its product range and evolved into a marketplace that includes third-party sellers. “Wildberries did not comment on the extent of the damage,” the article added.
Reuters reports that any prolonged disruption to Wildberries’ operations would likely be felt by many people across Russia. With over 1 million sellers, the company is one of the main driving forces behind the rapid shift to online commerce across the country.
Meanwhile, according to local Telegram channels, eyewitnesses heard 20–30 explosions, and the siren was activated after the incident “for two minutes, and then turned off.”
It is also reported that employees at the logistics center were evacuated following the series of explosions.