Russian grocery chains are bracing for the fallout following the attacks on Wildberries
Russia’s largest grocery chains have begun to adjust their logistics plans due to concerns about the security of their warehouse infrastructure amid Ukrainian strikes on storage facilities, according to Russian media reports.
According to the publication, the chains “Magnit,” X5 Group (the “Perekrestok,” “Pyaterochka,” and “Chizhik” stores), “Lenta,” Metro, and Vkusvill are discussing with suppliers the possibility of transferring some of the responsibilities for delivering products to stores and distribution centers to them.
Retailers fear disruptions at logistics hubs following attacks on Wildberries warehouses, which caused some businesses to lose their merchandise.
The “Krasnoye & Beloye” chain has proposed even stricter terms. The company has drafted a supplementary agreement that would relieve the retailer of liability for destroyed goods in the event of force majeure, including drone attacks.
Vyacheslav Mamontov, executive director of the Association of Beer, Malt, and Beverage Producers, criticized this initiative, stating that shifting all risks onto suppliers may violate the law.
Krasnoye & Beloye explained that the changes are related to the need to ensure stable supplies amid growing risks to warehouse and transportation infrastructure.
Earlier, drones attacked Belgorod and destroyed a university building where UAVs were being tested.
On the night of August 1, drones attacked several temporarily occupied cities in Ukraine. According to reports from monitoring Telegram channels, fires broke out following strikes in Zugres, Berdyansk, Luhansk, Dolzhansk, and Sevastopol.
As a reminder, the Russian online marketplace Ozon evacuated employees from its logistics center in Zelenodolsk (Tatarstan) due to the threat of attacks by Ukrainian drones. After the alert ended, the warehouse resumed normal operations.
On the morning of July 31, drones attacked a warehouse complex in Zelenodolsk (Tatarstan, Russian Federation), where the logistics facilities of the Ozon and Wildberries marketplaces are located. Following this, a number of Ukrainian sources reported that strikes on Ozon warehouses might continue.
