Ukraine’s Drones Send Wildberries Shopping for Warehouses in Kazakhstan

Key Points:

• Russia’s largest online marketplace, Wildberries, is seeking approximately 100,000 square meters of warehouse space in Kazakhstan to safeguard its logistics network from Ukrainian drone strikes targeting its Russian facilities.
• Kazakhstan’s current logistics market has limited vacancy, with only about 130,000 square meters available nationwide, and no single warehouse complex offering the full space Wildberries requires.
• Warehouse rental rates in Kazakhstan are comparable to Moscow, averaging around $130 per square meter annually, but local landlords are hesitant to lease to Wildberries due to fears of further drone attacks.
• Wildberries is also pursuing expansion of its logistics infrastructure within Russia, including ongoing large-scale projects in Almaty and Astana, despite insurance policies not covering drone strike damages.
• The recent Ukrainian drone strikes on Wildberries facilities are part of a broader campaign targeting Russian logistics hubs involved in supplying components for military drones, as stated by Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.