Russian Publishers Reduce Book Production Following Strikes on Wildberries Warehouses

Several Russian publishers have reduced print runs or stopped printing new titles after Ukrainian drone strikes hit warehouses operated by the marketplace Wildberries. According to reports from Kommersant, the strikes destroyed more than 11 million books, consisting primarily of children's literature, fiction, and popular science titles. Boris Kuznetsov, the general director of Rosman, stated that the loss of print runs intended to cover costs has forced publishing houses to cut new projects. He noted that Wildberries is the country's largest book platform, accounting for approximately 30 percent of industry sales.

Responses among major publishers vary. Eksmo-AST reported a slight decline in release plans for August and said it will adjust future plans based on demand and distribution capacity. Alpina stated it is opting for smaller print runs on reprints to optimize storage but is not halting new titles. A source told Kommersant that while storing products in marketplace warehouses is now considered dangerous, not all publishers have alternative storage space for their print runs.

Ukrainian drones have targeted Wildberries warehouses across various Russian regions since mid-July. Estimates of the total damage to the marketplace and its sellers range into the hundreds of billions of rubles, with one estimate placing the figure at 878 billion rubles as of August 17.