Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer, is seeking roughly 100,000 square metres of warehouse space in Kazakhstan after a sustained campaign of Ukrainian drone strikes destroyed or damaged key logistics hubs across Russia since July 18, 2026. At least 11 distribution centres have been hit, with losses estimated at hundreds of millions of euros in destroyed goods and infrastructure. New facilities are under construction in Almaty and Astana, with the latter due to open in 2027.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the warehouses stored dual-use goods for Russia's defence industry; Moscow denies the claim. Wildberries owner Tatyana Kim has appealed to the Russian government for financial support, including tax relief and state-bank loans. VTB Bank has indicated willingness to consider credit assistance and is reportedly eyeing a 5% stake in the company's banking arm.
The strikes have reduced Wildberries' logistics capacity by an estimated 10 to 20 percent, pressuring the 400,000 small sellers who rely on the platform.