The attacks damaged at least seven Wildberries warehouses and destroyed about ten percent of the company’s total storage capacity. Operations were disrupted, affecting tens of thousands of small businesses that use the platform to sell goods and services.
Wildberries said it would take at least 30 days to assess the damage before compensating sellers whose goods were stored in the damaged facilities. The company introduced discounts on storage fees to ease the burden on affected merchants. A person familiar with the matter told Reuters that Wildberries founder and Tatyana Kim is in talks with Russian authorities about possible relief measures, including tax breaks that could reduce pressure on the company to compensate sellers.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov praised the company for offering help to affected sellers even though it is not legally obligated to do so. “That certainly deserves the highest praise,” Peskov said. VTB First Deputy Chairman Dmitry Pianov said the bank would consider financial support if a corresponding request is made.
Ukraine had previously stated that Wildberries was targeted because of its role in supporting Russian military logistics. A manager from Ukraine’s Fire Point also cited the retailer’s partnership with state-owned VTB as a reason for the attacks. Wildberries reported liabilities of 830 billion rubles (about $10.6 billion) under Russian accounting standards but said its debt remains manageable under international standards.
Source: www.kyivpost.com
