Ukraine has justified the drone strikes by stating that the e-commerce network constitutes part of Russian war logistics and is used for the distribution of, among other things, drone components and navigation equipment. Russian authorities have denied that the logistics network handles military supplies, despite reports that the platform is used for the purchase of equipment sent to the front lines.
Following the increased intensity of the attacks, Kyiv Independent reports that Wildberries has changed the search function on its website and in its app to hide war-related products.
Previously, searches related to the Russian formal designation for the war, "special military operation" or the abbreviation SVO, generated over 200,000 product hits for everything from protective equipment to electronics. According to reports from The Moscow Times, searches for these specific phrases now only yield a message stating that no matching products are found.
However, the adjustment does not mean that the goods have been removed from the marketplace. Products for military use and goods with dual-use applications are still available for sale, but are now found under ordinary consumer categories such as "Sports," or can be found via alternative search terms.
Wildberries plays a central role in Russian retail and accounts for nearly 50 percent of the country's total e-commerce market. Pressure on the company has also increased from abroad. In July, the EU imposed sanctions on the e-commerce giant's own banking operations, citing the company's financial contribution to the Russian state budget.