January 16, 2024

Wildberries: Where There's Smoke, There's Fire


Wildberries: Where There's Smoke, There's Fire
Wildberries's warehouse near St. Petersburg on fire. Interfaks, Telegram

In the early hours of January 13, a fire erupted in St. Petersburg at a 100,000m2 (more than 1 million ft2) warehouse belonging to Russia's largest online retailer, Wildberries. All the merchandise inside was burned, costing billions of roubles in damages.

At 7 a.m., stored household chemicals on the first block of the facility caught on fire. Warehouse guards attempted to surveil the 1,800 employees as they evacuated, but they were overpowered by a stampede.

No casualties were reported. Over 270 firefighters and 57 ladder trucks were able to contain the flames a few hours later. Forbes estimated that the damages caused by the fire ranged between R10-20 billion ($113,688,040 to $227,376,080).

English teacher Tatyana Bakalchuk founded Wildberries while on maternity leave in 2004. The online retailer has since expanded to a billion-dollar company delivering products ranging from clothes, electronics, and household supplies to over 18 countries, including the US, Israel, the EU, and former Soviet countries. However, the company was sanctioned by Ukraine in 2021. That same year the company invested R3 billion ($34 million) constructing one of its largest warehouses, near St. Petersburg.

On January 10, a fight between an Azerbaijani and a Tajikistani citizen broke out near the warehouse. The 33-year-old Azerbaijani was hospitalized with knife wounds, and the 35-year-old from Tajikistan was subsequently arrested. On January 11 and 12, authorities raided the Wildberries warehouse and arrested five employees for violating immigration law. Authorities are investigating whether arson was committed in connection with these incidents.

According to state news agency TASS, however, a cable malfunction was to blame for the fire. The St. Petersburg State Construction Authority noted that Wildberries had received permission to build the warehouse but had not applied for a permit to run the facility. On January 12, a pipe broke and flooded an area of the warehouse. Furthermore, the fire alarm had gone off multiple times the day before the incident and was disconnected. The media outlet RBK also speculated that careless handling of the fire could have led to the burning down of the warehouse.

On January 14, prosecutors began a criminal investigation for "abuse of authority" against unidentified employees in charge of fire safety compliance at the warehouse.

Wildberries said it would refund all buyers and compensate sellers for items lost in the flames.

You Might Also Like

Long, Long Repair
  • December 17, 2023

Long, Long Repair

It can take up to a year to get auto parts in Russia, due to Western sanctions.
Occupation Is Expensive
  • December 03, 2023

Occupation Is Expensive

An independent Russian news outlet reported that Russia is worse off economically because of its actions in Ukraine since 2013.
No Money, Only War
  • March 29, 2023

No Money, Only War

Russian authorities blame the "special military operation" for the disruption of infrastructural and social projects.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
How Russia Got That Way

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
93 Untranslatable Russian Words

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955