Tatyana Kim, the founder of Wildberries and Russia’s richest woman, is facing the biggest challenge of her business career as a series of Ukrainian drone strikes hit warehouses belonging to the country’s largest online retailer.
The attacks have targeted key Wildberries logistics centres across Russia, causing major disruption to the company’s operations and affecting thousands of sellers who rely on the platform, according to The New York Times.
Today, it plays an important role in the Russian economy. Wildberries, often described as Russia’s version of Amazon, handles a large share of the country’s online shopping market. However, the damage has raised questions about how much disruption Wildberries can absorb if the campaign continues. Sales have reportedly fallen and many vendors have begun looking for alternative platforms. Analysts say the campaign highlights how the war is increasingly affecting everyday economic life inside Russia. For Kim, whose company became a symbol of Russian entrepreneurial success, the challenge is now not only rebuilding damaged facilities but also maintaining confidence among customers, sellers and investors.
The company was founded by Kim in 2004 and grew from a small business into one of Russia’s most successful technology firms.
Kim has publicly condemned the attacks and said the company is working to support affected sellers.
