Yandex Market, one of Russia's leading e-commerce companies, has updated its seller agreement to exempt itself from liability for war-related damages following Ukrainian strikes on Russian logistics facilities. According to Vyorstka, the change was published just two days after the first Ukrainian attacks on Wildberries warehouses.
Under the new contract terms, Yandex Market will not be held responsible if it fails to meet its obligations due to drone strikes, missile attacks, shelling, explosions, acts of terrorism or military operations. It will also not accept liability for losses caused by the use of weapons, military equipment, unmanned aerial vehicles or ammunition.
Vyorstka reported that the previous contract dated July 1 did not list force majeure events in detail, and both parties were exempt from liability in such cases. With the new regulation, Yandex Market has also been released from the obligation to immediately inform sellers and confirm these conditions in the event of force majeure.
Other major Russian marketplaces have taken similar steps. Ozon amended its seller agreement in early July to secure exemption from all claims arising from military actions, drone strikes, shelling and counter-terrorism operations. Wildberries also expanded its force majeure provisions this month, gaining the right not to pay compensation for goods lost as a result of attacks.
Ukrainian strikes on July 18 caused major fires at Wildberries warehouses in Kotovsk in the Tambov region and Noginsk near Moscow. The company lost approximately 10% of its warehouse capacity in a single day as a result of these attacks. Wildberries facilities in Podolsk, Krasnodar and Stavropol regions were also targeted last week.
Wildberries founder and CEO Tatiana Kim announced that the company will provide support to affected sellers and the families of those killed or injured in the attacks.
