Wildberries Military Sales Plummet After Ukraine Attacks

Sales of military-purpose goods on Russia's Wildberries e-commerce platform have plummeted between 20% and 40% in the three months following Ukrainian drone strikes on its logistics facilities, according to an analysis of internal seller data by Verstka.

The most dramatic decrease was observed in the category of quadcopter drone accessories. Within two weeks of the attacks, orders for these items fell by 39%, and actual purchases dropped by 36%. These sales had previously amounted to approximately 118 million rubles in the preceding three months. Similarly, sales in the body armor category saw a 24% decrease in orders and a significant 40% drop in purchases during the same period, having generated around 472 million rubles in the prior three months.

Overall, the analysis covered over 31,500 different items across the specified categories. The attacks, which targeted a Wildberries logistics complex in Yekaterinburg on August 7, occurred over 1,700 kilometers from Ukraine's border. This suggests a growing reach for Ukrainian long-range strike capabilities.

Beyond the direct impact on sales, the report indicates that Wildberries is facing broader financial pressures. The company is reportedly among those whose clients are increasingly seeking debt restructuring. This trend is attributed to the combined effects of economic hardship and the ongoing war, which have also led to a deterioration in the loan portfolio quality of major Russian banks like Sberbank and VTB.