Wildberries Plans Kazakhstan Warehouse Expansion Amid Russian Attacks

Expansion Plans Announced

Wildberries will construct 260,000 square meters of warehouse space across Kazakhstan, split between the capital Astana and the commercial hub Almaty, according to Arman Shakkaliyev, Kazakhstan's Minister for Trade and Integration. The expansion represents an eightfold increase from the platform's current 46,000 square meters of leased facilities in the country.

The announcement on August 4 follows a turbulent July during which more than 20 attacks targeted Wildberries' logistics infrastructure across Russia. Kazakh vendors using the platform have absorbed roughly $3.2 million in losses from damaged or destroyed inventory.

Scale and Timeline

The planned warehouses will not compensate for the more than 1 million square meters of storage capacity Wildberries lost in Russia over the past month. The new facilities are scheduled for completion in 2027, leaving the company's immediate capacity crisis unresolved.

Russian media outlets have reported that Wildberries is actively searching for an additional 100,000 square meters of warehouse space to address short-term needs. Total losses at Russian hubs may reach $3.37 billion, according to industry estimates.

Market Position in Central Asia

Wildberries holds nearly 27 percent of Kazakhstan's e-commerce market, placing it second behind locally founded Kaspi, which commands almost two-thirds of the sector. The Russian platform first announced warehouse construction plans in Kazakhstan in early 2023, with an initial target completion date two years later. That project was postponed before the current plans were revealed.

The recent attacks have prompted Shakkaliyev to encourage Kazakhstani citizens to favor domestic platforms over foreign alternatives. "We must use our domestic marketplaces. We call this economic patriotism," the minister said, adding that only local channels could guarantee product delivery. "We currently have a very high share of domestic marketplaces, so, of course, we should try to order locally."

Vendor Response

The attacks and subsequent advice from Kazakhstani officials have led vendors to reconsider their platform choices. Kyrgyz clothing manufacturers have expressed interest in shifting to Kazakh platforms, citing both financial considerations and better inventory protection. Kazakh sellers are evaluating local alternatives from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, though some remain concerned about losing access to Russia's larger consumer base.

Competing Russian e-commerce operator OZON took similar protective measures in early August, relocating high-value inventory away from vulnerable logistics centers. Industry observers suggest Wildberries may adopt a comparable strategy, using Central Asian warehouses to safeguard premium goods rather than simply expanding regional operations.

Strategic Calculations

The decision to build in Kazakhstan and potentially Uzbekistan reflects a dual objective: maintaining market share in Central Asia while protecting inventory from further attacks. What Wildberries chooses to store in these new facilities will signal whether the company views them primarily as growth infrastructure or as insurance against continued disruption in its home market.

The company's ability to execute this expansion while managing immediate capacity shortfalls and rebuilding damaged Russian infrastructure will determine whether the Kazakhstan move strengthens its regional position or merely limits further losses.