Wildberries hides military goods in search results after Ukrainian strikes

Key facts

• Wildberries has stopped displaying military-related goods in response to searches referencing the "special military operation."
• The move follows Ukrainian strikes on seven of the company's warehouses.
• Kyiv stated the strikes aimed to disrupt Russian army logistics.
• Searches for terms like "everything for the SVO" now yield no results on the platform.
• Dual-use items, including bulletproof vests and drone components, were previously available.

Russia's largest online retailer, Wildberries, has reportedly ceased displaying military-related goods in response to searches that directly reference the "special military operation" (SVO), Russia's official term for its invasion of Ukraine. This decision follows a series of Ukrainian drone strikes that have impacted seven of the company's warehouses since July 18. Kyiv has indicated that these facilities were targeted to disrupt Russian army logistics.

Previously, Wildberries offered a range of dual-use items on its platform, including bulletproof vests and fiber-optic cable for drones, which could be utilized on the battlefield. Following the attacks, searches for terms such as "everything for the SVO" and "SVO" now return a message indicating "No suitable products found." The Moscow Times reported that such searches previously yielded over 200,000 products, with screenshots showing military helmets among the results as of July 22.

Despite these changes, military-related goods remain accessible on the marketplace. Bulletproof vests and protective helmets can still be found within the "Sport" category. Searches for "goods for SVO" and "SVO accessories" continue to return items like military first-aid kits, backpacks, radios, chevrons, and flags, as well as FPV drones and their components.

Wildberries has been significantly affected by drone strikes on its logistics centers, including hubs in St. Petersburg, Tver, Moscow Oblast, Voronezh, and Crimea. These attacks may have caused billions in damages. The company's banking arm was also sanctioned by the EU in July for its financial contributions to the Russian budget. Wildberries holds a substantial position in Russia's consumer economy, accounting for nearly 50% of the country's online retail market.