Support The Moscow Times!

Wildberries & Russ Buys 3 Ride-Hailing and Delivery Companies in Direct Challenge to Yandex

A Citymobil taxi parking space. Kirill Kukhmar / TASS

Russian online retailer Wildberries & Russ (RWB) has acquired three companies that provide ride-hailing and delivery services as it tries to muscle its way into the highly concentrated market.

The deals, first reported by the RBC news outlet on Thursday, involve the purchase of Citymobil, Taksovichkof and Gruzovichkof at a total estimated cost of 3-8 billion rubles ($37-100 million).

RWB has not disclosed the financial terms of the acquisitions.

Russian media reported last year that the online retailer was looking to break into the transportation sector in a direct challenge to tech giant Yandex, whose Yandex Go holds a virtual monopoly in Moscow’s ride-hailing market, as well as a dominant share in other major cities.

RWB was formed after e-commerce giant Wildberries merged with advertising firm Russ Group in 2025.

Since then, RWB has acquired Magas International Airport in the North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia, a stake in Uzbekistan’s national postal operator UzPost, as well as the Rive Gauche cosmetics chain and the Russian tour operator Fun&Sun.

On Wednesday, RWB announced a net profit of 175 billion rubles ($2.17 billion) in 2025, up from 104 billion rubles the previous year.

In 2025, the company invested 310 billion rubles ($3.85 billion) in logistics and IT infrastructure, as well as new projects.

RWB did not disclose its revenue last year.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more