Ukrainian strikes on vast Russian warehouse complexes have generated dramatic scenes, with towering columns of black smoke rising above blazing storage centers belonging to Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer and a company often compared to Amazon.

Kyiv’s drones initially targeted the facilities over the weekend in Elektrostal, east of Moscow, and in the Tambov region, leaving eight people dead and dozens injured. Early Wednesday, two additional Wildberries warehouses in the southern Krasnodar and Stavropol regions were hit and ignited. One person was killed in those attacks, and 14 others were wounded.

The operations form part of Ukraine’s broader aerial campaign within Russian territory, aimed at weakening the country’s wartime economy and bringing the impact of the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine closer to ordinary Russian citizens.

Here is a closer look at Wildberries and why it has become a target during the conflict:

A retailer that has grown since 2004

Wildberries was founded in 2004 by Tatyana Kim, then a schoolteacher and young mother, who began by selling clothing online.

Over the years, the company — recognizable by its purple branding — evolved into a dominant force in Russian e-commerce. It provides logistics, storage and delivery services for businesses of all sizes, enabling them to reach customers nationwide. In April, Forbes Russia valued Kim’s fortune at $8.1 billion.

The marketplace offers a broad range of products, including apparel, books, cosmetics, toys, electronics, home goods and sporting equipment. It also features an online pharmacy section and a travel service that allows customers to book flights and hotel stays.

In 2021, Kim purchased a small bank and transformed it into Wildberries Bank. That financial institution has since been placed under sanctions by the United Kingdom and the European Union.

Last year, Kim reported that Wildberries operated more than 200 logistics facilities covering over 5.2 million square meters (55 million square feet). Expansion plans for 2026 include new warehouses in Belarus and Kazakhstan, where the company already maintains operations.

Between 500,000 and 800,000 vendors use the platform, according to Sergei Semko, lead analyst at Data Insight, a Moscow-based research firm specializing in online retail.

Semko said Wildberries currently accounts for 52% of all online purchases in Russia.

Kyiv says the stricken facilities supplied Russia’s military

Although Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not explicitly name Wildberries, he stated that the targeted facilities were involved in providing equipment and technical components to Russia’s armed forces.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov rejected those claims Tuesday, insisting that the sites were civilian and accusing Ukraine of deliberately attacking non-military infrastructure.

A review of the Wildberries website reveals products with both civilian and potential military applications, including body armor, helmets, radios and other electronics. Some listings were labeled as “tested in the SVO” or “SVO fighters’ choice,” using the Russian abbreviation for “special military operation,” the Kremlin’s official term for the war in Ukraine.

Wildberries did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The attacks are a blow to Russia’s small businesses

According to Semko, the strikes have inflicted serious damage on numerous small enterprises across Russia.

Online marketplaces such as Wildberries, along with competitors like Ozon and Yandex Market, have enabled artisans and small entrepreneurs to distribute their products across the country’s vast geography.

Following the weekend attacks, business owners took to social media to report that their goods stored in the affected warehouses had been destroyed, many sharing emotional accounts of significant financial losses.

The full extent of the damage to the four facilities remains unclear.

Wildberries stated that it took three days to extinguish the fire at its Elektrostal hub, a crucial distribution center serving Moscow. Meanwhile, the warehouse in Kotovsk in the Tambov region is expected to resume operations Thursday. Neither Kim nor the company has detailed the precise scale of destruction.

Peskov acknowledged Tuesday that “the situation is difficult,” citing losses sustained by both the company and small- and medium-sized enterprises that relied on the facilities.

To assist sellers, Wildberries announced temporary measures including reduced storage fees, complimentary transfers of goods to alternative warehouses, discounted loans through Wildberries Bank and other forms of support.

However, many merchants questioned whether they would receive compensation. Earlier this month, the company revised its seller agreement, stating it would not be liable for inventory losses caused by “force majeure” events, including drone attacks.

Late Wednesday, Kim said Wildberries had begun compensating sellers whose goods were damaged at the Elektrostal warehouse. “Our priority is to support the smallest and most vulnerable entrepreneurs — more than 88,000 of them. Funds will be credited to sellers’ accounts within 24 hours,” she said.

Semko cautioned that comprehensive data is still lacking, but he estimated that the four damaged warehouses represent roughly 12% to 15% of Wildberries’ total storage capacity. He suggested that losses in destroyed goods could reach approximately $3 billion.

These setbacks come amid rising taxes, a fuel shortage and additional regulatory pressures facing many Russian small businesses this year, he added.

“It’s close to a perfect storm,” Semko said.