Ukraine says cyberattack hit Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries amid drone strikes
August 17, 2026 · The Record · Severity: MEDIUM
Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on Russia’s largest online marketplace, Wildberries, conducted in cooperation with the Cyber Corps hacker group. The attack targeted Wildberries’ customer service, contact centers, and payment infrastructure, causing widespread disruption despite the company’s strong security measures. The operation was designed to amplify the impact of concurrent Ukrainian drone strikes on Wildberries’ warehouses, which have already destroyed over 1.2 million square meters of warehouse space and taken seven of the company’s ten largest logistics centers offline. HUR justified the attack by stating that Wildberries plays a critical role in Russia’s logistics network and finances the war against Ukraine, including by selling military equipment such as drone components and body armor. The claims could not be independently verified, and Wildberries has not publicly commented. This incident is part of a broader pattern where Ukraine’s military intelligence coordinates cyberattacks with hacker groups to complement major kinetic strikes, as seen in previous operations against Tupolev and Russian election systems.
Key Takeaways
- Cyberattacks can amplify kinetic strikes: Ukraine’s coordinated cyber and drone operations against Wildberries demonstrate how disrupting digital infrastructure (payment systems, customer service) can magnify the physical damage of kinetic attacks, creating compounded operational and financial losses.
- Logistics and e-commerce platforms are strategic military targets: Wildberries’ role in Russia’s logistics network and its sale of military equipment (drone components, body armor) make it a legitimate target for cyber operations aimed at undermining war financing and supply chains.
- State-backed hacker groups enable hybrid warfare: Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) regularly partners with groups like the Cyber Corps to execute cyberattacks that complement drone or missile strikes, highlighting the growing integration of non-state actors into state military strategy.