Ukraine’s drone strikes on Wildberries depots in Russia have run up losses equivalent to tens of millions of dollars for traders from across Central Asia, Belarus, Armenia, China and other countries, according to the founder and CEO of the company known as “Russia’s Amazon”, Tatyana Kim.

Kyiv has insisted that the bombing campaign aimed at Wildberries since mid-July is justified because the ecommerce giant secures supplies used by the Russian defence industry and armed forces, but in a video message posted on Telegram, Kim said:  "Strikes against us are strikes against hundreds of millions of people in [markets in] 10 countries simultaneously."

Wildberries, added Kim, was treating the drone attacks as force majeure events, meaning that the losses were not subject legally to mandatory compensation payouts under Russian law, regardless of the terms in seller agreements.

Wildberries was, though, working with the Russian government to develop a support scheme for affected traders and had already gone through with two payment tranches for sellers whose goods were damaged or destroyed in the attacks, she said.

In terms of Central Asia, Kim specified entrepreneurs from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan as being among the worst hit by losses.

Kim rejected the Ukrainian allegations that Wildberries sells military goods, inviting comparisons with Amazon and Alibaba's product ranges. On July 26, Azattyk reported that the  Wildberries "Everything for the Special Military Operation" goods section had disappeared from the e-retailer’s website. "Military goods are still available, but they have been placed in different categories," The Moscow Times was reported as writing, pointing to bulletproof vests and protective helmets in the "sports" section and FPV drones in the "TV, audio, photo, video equipment" category.

In Kyrgyzstan, the Kyrgyz Tailors Association has appealed to the government for help in protecting the interests of Kyrgyz entrepreneurs pursuing compensation for losses incurred in the wave of attacks on Wildberries.

In Russia-neighbouring Kazakhstan, multiple local media reports, with particular reference to articles in Russia’s Kommersant, have explored whether reports are correct that Wildberries was looking for major warehouse space it could use in the country. However, the government has said it has received no official approach from the company.

Dozens of people have been killed in the attacks on Wildberries, including a Tajik national.