5.9 Billion Dollars Burned in Flames: Ukraine's New Target in Russia
Ukraine has begun attacking the warehouses of the Russian retail giant Wildberries, causing billions of dollars in damage. Tatyana Bakalchuk, the richest woman in Russia, is now trying to save the empire she built.
She built the local Russian answer to the retail giant Amazon, navigated with talent through the complex politics of the Kremlin, and outmaneuvered her ex-husband in a violent business conflict that included a deadly exchange of fire near Red Square. But now, Tatyana Bakalchuk, the billionaire founder of Wildberries and the richest woman in Russia, faces her greatest challenge. Relentless Ukrainian airstrikes are destroying her company's facilities, setting goods on fire, and posing a real threat to the survival of the empire she built over the last twenty years.
After months of systematic attacks on Russian oil refineries, Ukraine has expanded its air campaign. The target is now civilian and commercial: the giant warehouses of Wildberries scattered across Russia. According to The New York Times, Kyiv has attacked at least 23 key facilities since mid-July, sometimes using swarms of drones. The result is devastating: goods worth an estimated 5.9 billion dollars have been destroyed, and nine employees have been killed.
Bringing the war home to Russia
These targeted attacks mark a new phase in the conflict. This is the first time Kyiv has so aggressively targeted a single private business. President Volodymyr Zelensky is attempting to bring the war to the heart of the Russian population, hoping that growing dissatisfaction and damage to daily life will increase internal pressure on President Vladimir Putin to end the war.
Robert Brovdi, commander of the Ukrainian army's drone forces, stated that the strikes are intended to "shatter the illusion of a peaceful life." Hitting the company is a strategic goal for Ukraine, which seeks to strike at the central axis of the Russian consumer market.
A massive economic empire under fire
Wildberries, which began in 2004 as a modest site for selling clothes, currently accounts for about 10 percent of all retail sales in Russia. 79 million people use the platform monthly. With nearly 95,000 pickup points, the company has become vital national infrastructure. Following the withdrawal of Western companies, its importance grew tenfold.
According to Data Insight, Wildberries has lost at least a third of its warehouse space. "The company has almost emptied its largest warehouses," noted analyst Sergey Semko. Sberbank studies show that consumer spending on non-food items has dropped sharply in recent weeks.
Critical military equipment or innocent civilian goods?
Kyiv claims the damage to Wildberries is justified because the platform provides essential equipment to Russian soldiers. Although weapons are not officially sold, soldiers use the site to equip themselves with tactical vests, boots, and auxiliary gear. An investigation by The New York Times revealed that FPV drones and optical cables were offered for sale on the site. In one instance, a buyer asked if a drone could be used for the "special military operation," and the seller confirmed it.
Bakalchuk condemned what she called "cowardly terrorist attacks" against civilians. She claimed that goods sold on Wildberries are not essentially different from those on Amazon or Alibaba. "There is no logic or rationality in the actions of the terrorists," she stated.
Internal politics and a small business crisis
The current crisis follows a turbulent period for the 50-year-old Bakalchuk. Earlier this year, she led a controversial merger with Russ Outdoor, which led to a violent incident at the company's Moscow offices, leaving two dead. The merger transferred 35 percent of the company to a group linked to Suleiman Kerimov. Bakalchuk's divorce became official shortly after, and she now holds 65 percent of the empire.
Simple workers and small businesses are paying the heaviest price. About 100,000 small and medium-sized businesses lost their inventory in the fires. Under public pressure, the company paid partial compensation of about 500,000 dollars to over 80,000 small sellers. Russian Deputy Finance Minister Alexey Sazanov promised government aid and tax exemptions.
However, for merchants like Katerina Kordik, who lost half her inventory, the damage is irreversible. Bakalchuk is desperately trying to diversify her logistics to survive, but pressure is growing as panicked merchants abandon Wildberries in favor of its competitor, Ozon, whose more decentralized logistics structure has faced far fewer strikes.
