Wildberries Pushes Ahead With Kazakhstan Expansion Plans

Russian online retailer Wildberries will build two large logistics centers in Astana and Almaty, Kazakhstan’s minister of trade Arman Shakkaliyev announced on August 4.The news comes amid a major Ukrainian drone campaign against Wildberries warehouses in Russia, which since mid-July had struck at least 18 Wildberries warehouses in at least 13 regions.The attacks caused an estimated 280 billion rubles ($3.59 billion) in losses for sellers from the platform.According to data cited by Forbes Russia, approximately 17%-20% of the company’s warehouse space has been damaged, totalling between 893,000 and 1.15 million square meters.Shakkaliyev said that the new logistics centers in Kazakhstan’s largest cities will be ready by early 2027, and will have a total area of 260,000 square meters, a significant increase from the 46,000 square meters that WIldberries currently leases in Kazakhstan. “This information had already been announced long before [the recent events] as part of the company’s existing plan to develop its local branch,” Shakkaliyev said, adding that Wildberries had not contacted the ministry of trade regarding any proposal for future expansion.Wildberries first announced its plans to construct new logistic centers in Almaty and Astana in July 2024.The facilities were initially scheduled for completion by mid-2025.The company has since delayed the target opening date.Last week, Russian media reported that Wildberries had begun searching for new warehouse space in Kazakhstan, with one source claiming that the company was prepared to take “all available warehouse space” in the country due to Ukraine’s ongoing attacks.Elsewhere in Central Asia, Wildberries announced in June that it would invest over over $300 million for the construction of a new 170,000 square meter-logistics hub in Uzbekistan to be operational by 2028, while Kyrgyzstan’s minister of economy Bakyt Sydykov said in January that negotiations were underway to build a 280,000 square meter warehouse.Sign up for our English-language newsletter.