Why Ukraine attacked Wildberries warehouses and how the ubiquitous marketplace is connected to the Russian army
"Tested in the SMO," "Choice of SMO fighters" — such advertising labels can be seen above some products on Wildberries.
Fire at a Wildberries warehouse in Elektrostal near Moscow. Screenshot from video
After the attack on Wildberries warehouses in Elektrostal and Kotovsk, Russian entrepreneurs began massively reporting lost batches, multi-million dollar debts, and the threat of bankruptcy. But instead of sympathy, hundreds of comments from Belarusians, Ukrainians, and Kazakhs appeared under their posts.
"What is the reason for all this?", "War has returned to your home," "Was there any point in destroying 'Nova Poshta'?" — users wrote.
Some of them openly gloated. Others tried to prove that the warehouses of Russia's largest marketplace were not just civilian objects. What is actually known about Wildberries' connection to the war?
Ukraine had claims against Wildberries even before 2022
In July 2021, Ukraine imposed sanctions against the Russian company Wildberries, its founders Tatyana and Vladislav Bakalchuk, as well as foreign subdivisions, including the Belarusian one.
Ukrainian authorities explained the sanctions by the fact that Russian military uniforms, products with state and militaristic symbols, as well as books with anti-Ukrainian and propaganda content were sold through the marketplace.
Wildberries responded that it is only a platform, and products are placed by independent sellers. The company called Kyiv's decision business discrimination.
Wildberries is one of Russia's largest businesses and taxpayers. After the start of the full-scale war, this became a reason for including the company and its owner in the sanctions lists of individual states as a large business supporting Russia's economic base.
On Wildberries, you can buy everything for a drone
Wildberries indeed sells goods that can be used on the front. These include military uniforms and tactical equipment, bulletproof vests and protective elements, walkie-talkies, thermal imagers and sights, parts and modules for FPV drones, optical fiber reels, navigation and electronic equipment, and more.
Thus, Wildberries is used as a platform for selling dual-use products.
These products can also be used by Russian military personnel.
Next to some products there is an "advertising" label — "Tested in the SMO," "Choice of SMO fighters."
Screenshot: wildberries.ru
What Zelenskyy stated
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed strikes on two logistics facilities in Moscow and Tambov regions. He called the attack a response to Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure.
According to Zelenskyy, the warehouses were "used by the aggressor to ensure the supply of sanctioned components for the production of drones and navigation equipment."
Does Wildberries operate in the occupied territories?
In March 2024, Denis Pushilin, the Russia-appointed head of the occupied part of the Donetsk region, stated that a decision had already been made for Wildberries and Ozon to enter these territories.
Wildberries denied this, claiming it has no own or partner logistics facilities, pickup points, or transportation services there.
At the same time, private intermediaries operate in Donetsk, Luhansk, and Mariupol, collecting Wildberries goods in the Rostov region and transporting them to the occupied territories. For example, the "MIG" service offers to place an order at a Wildberries point in Rostov-on-Don, independently picks it up, and transports it to the occupied part of the Donetsk region.
"Why don't you feel sorry for Ukrainians?"
Under the posts of Russian sellers, two completely different pictures of what happened clashed.
Russian entrepreneurs say: we are ordinary people, we did not make the decision to start the war, but now we have lost goods, money, and business.
Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Kazakh users respond: the war did not begin on July 18 at the Wildberries warehouse. It began with the Russian invasion, and Ukrainians have been losing homes and loved ones for several years.
"Hundreds of messages about goods. And not a single one — about stopping the war," people write in the comments.
"There were more than four years to understand one simple thing: the war will return to its native harbor," wrote one user. Another formulated it even shorter: "You are a warring country, and an aggressor." Remarks like: "2022 — Odesa is a Russian city. 2026 — be glad you're alive" also appeared.
Some commentators questioned the right of Russian entrepreneurs to separate business from politics. In response to words about lost goods and debts, one person wrote: "I don't feel sorry for any of you at all. If business is more important than morality for you — now live with debts."
Another noted that large capital and the marketplace itself would survive the fire, but the main blow would be borne by hundreds of thousands of small entrepreneurs.
"Nova Poshta" became a separate symbol, its offices and terminals repeatedly falling under Russian strikes. Ukrainians asked why Russians are outraged by the destruction of Wildberries, but did not ask about the purpose of attacks on Ukrainian postal and civilian infrastructure.
Along with reminders of the reasons, there is also open celebration of the fire.
An account with a Ukrainian trident as an avatar wrote in English: "Great to see Mordor on fire." Another user stated: "First, it's just beautiful." To the question of why destroy warehouses with goods, another replied: "We like it. That's enough."