Wildberries Seeks Massive Amount of Steel Mesh for Logistics Centers

The Russian online marketplace Wildberries has issued tenders for 478,000 square meters of galvanized steel mesh for its logistics centers across eight regions. According to reports from The Bell, the amount of mesh is equivalent to the area of 67 soccer fields. While the tender does not explicitly state the purpose of the purchase, a source at an industrial company told The Bell that the mesh is likely intended to protect warehouses from drone attacks. The source noted that metal fencing remains a popular option because it is effective and avoids most regulatory requirements beyond standard building codes.

Contractors have submitted bids in only a portion of the eight regions. Based on these bids, which range from 154 to 474 rubles per square meter, the total cost could be between 73.6 million and 226.5 million rubles. Similar netting is currently being installed around Russian oil depots, power plants, and gas infrastructure.

Contextual reports indicate that Ukrainian drones have targeted Wildberries warehouses since mid July. It is estimated that approximately 2.4 million square meters of the company's warehouse space, or about 43 percent, have been destroyed or disabled. In response, the company has begun moving capacities to Kazakhstan, and many sellers have started storing goods in their own warehouses. Additionally, a late August decree signed by Vladimir Putin allows the government to take temporary control of critical infrastructure objects, including logistics sites, if the owners fail to provide necessary security.