In light of recent Ukrainian drone attacks on its logistics centers, Wildberries has announced a tender for the supply of 478,000 square meters of galvanized wire mesh across eight Russian regions housing its facilities. This information was reported by the Russian outlet The Bell.
Wildberries, often dubbed the “Russian Amazon,” was founded by Tatiana Kim, the wealthiest woman in Russia, whose net worth exceeds $8 billion. The tender specifies that the wire’s diameter must not exceed 2.5 mm, with a delivery timeframe limited to seven days.
While the publicly available documentation does not clarify the exact purpose of the mesh, an industrial source indicates that it will serve to protect warehouses from drone strikes. The installation of metal protective nets, positioned at a distance from the facility’s perimeter to intercept potential drone attacks, is gaining traction among Russian businesses. This trend is evident from the increasing number of such procurement announcements on commercial bidding platforms.
Previously, companies that manufactured nets for soccer goals or steel construction elements have pivoted to producing drone protection shields. The installation cost for such metal canopies starts at 3 million rubles and can reach up to 50 million rubles, depending on the scale of the facility being secured.
The tender from Wildberries is currently under review, with contractor bids for the wire mesh ranging from 154 to 474 rubles per square meter. Consequently, the total order cost for Wildberries could vary between 73.6 million and 226.5 million rubles.
Additionally, the company has announced another tender, potentially aimed at enhancing defenses against unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), concerning the acquisition of silica fabric for 14 of its locations in various regions. This material consists of quartz fibers that offer high thermal resistance, capable of withstanding prolonged exposure to temperatures between 1000–1200 degrees Celsius and brief contact with flames.
