E-com Brief
Day at a glance
- Amid ongoing attacks on its warehouses, Wildberries began accepting applications for partner goods-acceptance points (ППТ), shifting fulfillment nodes to third-party sites to ease throughput pressure from damaged central warehouses.
- Wildberries, with Rosgosstrakh, launched voluntary insurance for goods against UAV attacks at 0.01%/day, which sellers can toggle on/off in their dashboard.
- Sber said major marketplaces have 'found' an approach to protecting warehouses from drone strikes, indirectly confirming warehouse security is now an industry priority.
- Yandex's 'Alisa AI' will let sellers without their own site list products and check out in one click inside the chat — a new AI traffic channel.
- CBR official rates (effective 21.08.2026): 1 CNY = 12.4057 RUB, 1 USD = 83.3550 RUB.
Platform Updates
Wildberries, with Rosgosstrakh, launched voluntary insurance for sellers' goods stored in partner fulfillment centers (ПФЦ) against total loss from terrorist acts/sabotage, including UAV strikes and falling debris. Sellers can enable/disable it in their dashboard; the rate is 0.01%/day of goods value in ПФЦ. Context: on Aug 14 the Digital Platforms Association (АЦП) proposed government support measures for affected sellers.
Yandex announced that sellers without their own online store can list products in the 'Alisa AI' chat and Yandex search; buyers checkout via the unified 'Buy in one click' without leaving the chat. Onboarding is via a request to 'Yandex Goods' and a simplified 'Yandex KIT' cabinet (free for now); delivery is self-managed or via CDEK/PEK/Dalli, or platform logistics.
The Ozon, Ozon Fresh and Ozon Travel apps are available again on Google Play. Earlier, on Aug 15, Ozon confirmed its other apps were removed (saying it violated no rules and app stores are not under sanctions); the web version needs Russian security certificates, the mobile app does not. Positive for sellers reliant on mobile traffic.
Logistics & Tariffs
Wildberries began accepting applications to open partner goods-acceptance points (ППТ): partners earn fees for receiving/processing FBW and FBS shipments and seller returns, per box like a pickup point; returns held over 3 days in the processing center get extra temporary-storage pay. Site requirements: ≥100 m², easy access and parking, ≥5 CCTV cameras, PC/tablet, scanner, table. Context: after attacks on central warehouses, WB is distributing acceptance/fulfillment nodes to third-party sites — a concrete step in logistics recovery.
Sber first deputy chairman Alexander Vedyakhin said Russia's largest marketplaces have already 'found' the right approach to protecting their warehouses from drone strikes. This indirectly confirms that, after repeated attacks, physical warehouse protection has become a priority for platforms and major banks. Specific measures were not disclosed.
Cross-border & Payments
Several online retailers and services warned customers of possible payment failures via foreign browsers (Chrome, Safari, Opera, Firefox, Edge), recommending Yandex Browser, the app, or Russia's Faster Payments System (СБП). The cause is Russia's switch to domestic security certificates used in foreign search engines. Independent/cross-border sellers whose checkout runs through foreign browsers should advise buyers to use a Russian browser or СБП.
The CBR set official rates effective 21.08.2026: 1 CNY = 12.4057 RUB (weaker from 12.6301 on 20.08), 1 USD = 83.3550 RUB. Vedomosti reported the 'dollar below 83' (a quoting-basis difference). Cross-border sellers should use CBR official rates for settlement and pricing; the yuan weakened slightly day-on-day.