Ozon: over 90,000 sellers to receive insurance payouts starting Septe…

President Putin delivered the keynote at the BRICS Business Forum in New Delhi on 11 September, saying BRICS countries generated more than 40% of world GDP and almost half of global economic growth over the past five years (G7 contributed only 29% and 18% of growth respectively). More than 30,000 sanctions have been imposed on Russia, almost twice as many as against all other countries combined, yet the Russian economy grew by 10.3% in 2023-2025. He criticised the West for using 'every means, including direct physical impact on industrial, logistics and energy infrastructure' to regain leadership.

Speaking to Russian media on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, Putin said European discussions about sending troops to Ukraine 'would mean war with Russia'. He described Europe's current state as the result of systemic Western mistakes in politics, security and the economy, saying that after the Cold War the West 'felt itself on top of Olympus' and that voters are now responding (citing the AfD's result in Germany). He called the 2014 'bloody coup' and NATO eastward expansion the root causes of the Ukraine crisis and reiterated that Russia has 'no aggressive intentions' toward Europe.

Security Council Deputy Chairman and United Russia leader Dmitry Medvedev again dismissed mobilisation rumours on 11 September in a video on the Max platform, calling them 'lies aimed at stirring the public before the State Duma elections', and said contract recruitment is 'within or above the planned rate'. He said the enemy's position is 'very bad', with some Ukrainian units only 20-30% staffed, and stressed Russia must see the special military operation through to the end. On Lithuania, he warned that NATO's Article 5 'will not work' but 'Lithuania will disappear from the map'.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said during an inspection of an artillery brigade on 11 September: 'The army needs a shake-up; the time has come. The entire army. We will inspect everyone, right up to mobilisation'. He said inspections are being conducted 'exactly as in wartime', drawing on the experience of modern conflicts: 'We are preparing for war to ensure it does not happen'. The same day he called the US dollar 'a currency nobody needs'.

The Bank of Russia board decided on 11 September to keep the key rate at 14% - the first pause since June 2025. The regulator noted that price pressures have 'increased significantly' recently and underlying inflation has accelerated to 5-6% on an annualised basis, mainly due to temporary capacity reductions in some industries; labour shortages continue to ease and wage growth is slowing. Annual inflation stood at 6.3% on 7 September. Nabiullina said rate cuts 'cannot be automatic' and will depend on inflation, expectations and the balance of risks, with the target of returning to 4% in 2027.

Rosstat data: consumer prices fell 0.08% m/m in August (deflation); annual inflation rose from 6.29% to 6.33%. Gasoline rose 0.76% m/m (vs +6.47% in July), sugar +5.7% (YTD +26.5%); wholesale sugar fell 8.3% m/m. The yuan closed at 12.5145 rub. (-1.55 kopecks), the CBR set the official dollar rate for 12 September at 84.2569 (-9.39 kopecks) and the euro at 97.8728 (-41.28 kopecks). November Brent traded at $105.06 (-2.38% d/d, +9% w/w).

Russian equities pulled back on Friday after a brief intraday high: the MOEX index briefly topped 2320 (a monthly peak) but closed -1.21% at 2281.04; the RTS fell 1.1% to 852.84. Top gainer: Seligdar +4.4% on rising gold and a weaker ruble; biggest loser: Ozon International -4.3% after a drone attack on its Saratov warehouse on 10 September. RUONIA overnight fell to 13.86%. The IEA cut its 2026 global oil demand forecast to -2.5 mbpd (vs -1.56 mbpd previously).

RDIF, BRICS Pay JSC and BRICS Pay India signed an agreement during Putin's visit to promote BRICS Pay in India and develop cross-border payment services within the BRICS framework, including in national currencies. BRICS Pay JSC is the technology partner, BRICS Pay India the business coordinator in India, and RDIF provides investment and partnership support. The same day, PSB presented a Russian-Indian payment system prototype to Putin and Modi.

On 11 September in New Delhi Putin held four bilateral meetings: 1) Indian PM Narendra Modi (joint visit to Innoprom.India exhibition, joint appearance at the BRICS Business Forum); 2) Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim (energy and trade, Russia-Malaysia trade +12.9% in 2025); 3) Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (Russia treats Egypt as 'a reliable ally in the region', joint projects on track, Putin personally invited el-Sisi to the Russia-Africa summit in Moscow); 4) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (20th anniversary of the Russia-South Africa Treaty on Friendship and Partnership, signed 5 September).

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on 11 September that Moscow expects trilateral Russia-Ukraine-US (and possibly EU) talks 'in the near future'. Presidential aide Yury Ushakov said Putin and Modi discussed the Ukraine crisis in detail. The same day the US State Department invited a Russian representative to next week's G20 energy ministers meeting in Houston.

The four major operators (MegaFon, Beeline, MTS and T2) simultaneously launched 5G commercial services in 16 Russian cities on 11 September, covering about 10 million people. Android users get immediate access; iPhone owners must wait for Apple certification. The Digital Ministry plans another 50 cities by year-end and all million-plus cities by 2027; from 2027-2031 networks will migrate to Russian-made base stations. The Russian 5G market is projected at 35-45 billion rubles in 2027.

The Moscow city government signed a decree on 11 September prohibiting taxi drivers from 'soliciting' passengers at airports, railway stations and other transport hubs; violators may lose their taxi operating permit for up to six months. A 'whitelist' electronic identification system for drivers is being rolled out simultaneously. This is the latest in a series of measures to restore order in airport zones following August raids.

At about 19:40 on Friday on the 1180th km of the M-8 Kholmogory highway on the border of Kholmogorsky and Primorsky districts, a passenger minibus overtook into the oncoming lane and collided with a logging truck and a passenger car: 12 people died and 8 were hospitalised. The Investigative Committee opened criminal cases under Article 238(3) of the Criminal Code (provision of services not meeting safety requirements causing two or more deaths) and Article 264(5) (traffic violations causing two or more deaths); carrier and vehicle technical documents were seized.

On 11 September Belgorod region suffered several Ukrainian drone attacks, killing one person and wounding five (including three children). The Russian Defence Ministry reported that 67 Ukrainian UAVs were shot down over Russian regions between 08:00 and 20:00 on the same day.

In the night of 11 September a Ukrainian drone struck Ozon's logistics centre and delivery hub in Saratov, starting a fire. The company temporarily suspended order intake and delivery in Saratov city and region, affected items were delisted, some orders cancelled and others fulfilled from other warehouses. Ingosstrakh will begin payouts to affected Ozon sellers from 15 September. Ozon International shares fell 4.3% on the day.

Roscosmos chief Bakanov reported on 11 September that Russia and India are negotiating a joint Venus exploration project; on the same day, on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, discussions were held on training a South African cosmonaut in Russia.

Karen Khachanov lost to world number two Alexander Zverev in the US Open semifinal on 11 September 6-7 (5-7), 4-6, 3-6, ending his run. Zverev now leads their head-to-head 6-3.

Russian 17-year-old Anna Pushkaryova reached the US Open girls' singles final on 11 September, becoming the second Russian girls' Grand Slam finalist after Mira Andreeva (2024).

At the Kinoshita Group Cup in Tokyo on 11 September, Russians Boikova/Kozlovskii won pairs gold with Russian duos sweeping the podium (Chikmareva/Yanchenkov silver, Mukhortova/Yevgeniev bronze); in women's singles Trusova won silver in her post-comeback return to competition.

On the evening of September 11 Ozon said Ingosstrakh will compensate more than 90,000 insured sellers whose goods were damaged in its warehouses. The first tranche lands from September 15 and covers entrepreneurs whose policy was active when the incident hit warehouses in Samara region, Adygea and Dagestan. Payouts may arrive in several parts, with final settlement after inventory is completed, all handled online in the seller dashboard. Ozon had earlier waived storage fees at the affected warehouse from August 22, made cross-docking into the Samara cluster free, and from August 30 applied a 3% discount to the sales tariff. What this means for Chinese sellers: if you ship FBO and are insured, log in now and reconcile your policy against the damaged-goods list rather than waiting to be contacted; without a policy you will likely eat the loss yourself, and restocking is safer via FBS to spread the risk.

On the Moscow Exchange on September 11 Ozon shares fell as much as 5% to RUB 2,519 in early trading, narrowing to RUB 2,560 (-3.47%) by 10:35, triggered by the drone strike and fire at its Saratov logistics centre and delivery hub. Investor concern is not limited to one idle facility: analysts expect higher spending on security, insurance and backup capacity, and while FBS share reaches 50% in some categories it only softens, not removes, dependence on the warehouse network. What this means for Chinese sellers: rising platform costs usually end up in commissions, logistics tariffs or thinner promo subsidies — build that into Q4 pricing.

Yandex Maps data shows about 260,000 pickup points across Russia as of September 2026, up 25% year on year versus roughly 33% a year earlier. 2GIS counts 62,200 points in the 16 million-plus cities in early September, just +12% (against +38% last year), with Moscow at only +3.5%. Wildberries reports 98,000 points (+13%) and Ozon more than 88,000 (up 13,000 in a year). The MARMp association estimates the warehouse strikes hit over 400,000 sellers, with total industry losses of RUB 600-800bn, of which about RUB 500bn is lost goods. Since September 10 Ozon has been selling unclaimed items in its pickup points after two weeks. What this means for Chinese sellers: the network has shifted from a land grab to per-point efficiency, so the new-location premium is gone — shift focus from Moscow to still-fast-growing Ekaterinburg (+24%), Perm (+22%) and Omsk (+20%).

NF Group data shows distributors raised their share of occupied 3PL warehouse space by 13 percentage points to 43% in January-September 2026, while manufacturers fell 2 points to 36%. Pallet storage cost RUB 32.6 per day in September, 4% cheaper year on year, and a conventional warehouse lease runs 15-50% more expensive overall. NC Logistic reports seller demand for 3PL services up 35% year on year; Tochka Bank and Mpstats data put the FBO share at 62.8% by end-August, down from 94.9% in June. Ozon cut its FBS commission from late July and Wildberries lowered tariffs and simplified seller-warehouse dispatch. What this means for Chinese sellers: 3PL leasing is in a price window with rates falling year on year, so moving part of your stock off the platform warehouse both reduces single-point strike risk and gets you cheaper fulfilment.

Overnight into September 11 drones struck Ozon's Saratov logistics centre and delivery hub, starting a fire; staff were evacuated and no one was hurt. Saratov governor Roman Busargin ordered an operational headquarters and hotline to help employees restore documents, and said he had discussed support for local partner entrepreneurs with Ozon management. It is the latest direct hit on Ozon's warehouse network since August, after facilities in Samara region, Makhachkala, Krasnodar, Adygeysk, Orenburg and Rostov regions and Belgorod. What this means for Chinese sellers: orders in the affected region will stall briefly, and the platform typically responds with free delivery and waived penalties — screenshot your stock and order records immediately, you will need them for claims.

The Ministry of Economic Development announced on September 11 that SMEs which lost goods in the Wildberries warehouse attacks can from that day apply for state-subsidised loans priced at key rate + 3% (currently 17%), in amounts from RUB 500,000 to RUB 500m, for working capital and current expenses. The programme is run by the ministry, the central bank and the SME Corporation with 73 banks participating and a total limit of RUB 50bn; where collateral is short, the SME Corporation umbrella guarantee covers up to 50% of the loan. The preferential period was extended from one year to eighteen months. Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said the package will help businesses recover faster. What this means for Chinese sellers: cheap emergency money, but it requires a Russian legal entity (IE or LLC) — pure cross-border sellers are excluded; those who qualify should use it to lock in pre-season stock.

The digital ministry is finalising a government decree with the industry that would enshrine Alice AI as a system assistant in pre-installation rules, make the app undeletable like RuStore, and grant it all special permissions: background updates, push notifications and voice activation. The RATEK association asks that the draft be paused pending full regulatory impact assessment and public discussion, notes that devices and operating systems are developed outside Russia so any change to mass-market specifications raises costs, and wants entry into force delayed by at least five months. Marvel Distribution warns it could complicate supply of foreign devices to Russia. M.Video data shows 14.4m smartphones sold in Russia in January-September 2026 worth RUB 370bn (24.2m units in all of 2025). What this means for Chinese sellers: anyone in phones, tablets or 3C should track this closely — if it lands, foreign models entering Russia will need production lines retooled for pre-installation, lifting costs and squeezing supply in the short run, which supports already-compliant stock.

On September 11 the Bank of Russia board kept its key rate at 14%; the regulator said the meeting substantively considered only a pause in easing, with a cut never really on the table. Governor Elvira Nabiullina said at the press conference that inflation expectations remain high, that faster price growth is driven by one-off factors and the fuel crisis, that the bank expects inflation back at the 4% target in 2027, and that raising the target would be extremely harmful. What this means for Chinese sellers: the 14% rate directly sets the price of the Wildberries subsidised loan at 17%, and it means instalment credit for Russian buyers will not get cheaper — demand pressure in high-ticket categories such as appliances and 3C will persist.

Check Index data prepared for Kommersant shows demand for corrective eyewear in Russia rose 12% year on year in January-August 2026, with the average ticket up 13% to almost RUB 4,800; Yandex Maps searches for opticians rose 17%. As of September 1, 2026 Russia had 15,500 optical stores (+1% after a 6% contraction in 2025), though in million-plus cities the count still fell 4% to 5,800. Doctors estimate 30-40% of Russians, roughly 40-50m people, have vision problems, with myopia among school leavers at 50-60% versus 20-25% in the 1990s. Industry sources also note that the October 2025 Roszdravnadzor ban on selling medical devices via vending machines may have pushed some demand back into stores. What this means for Chinese sellers: frames, reading glasses, blue-light blockers and children's models are steady demand with a rising ticket, but corrective lenses are medical devices with higher certification and labelling requirements than ordinary accessories — verify them before listing.

On September 11 Russia's largest operators launched their first commercial 5G networks in 16 cities; Android device owners will be able to use the service shortly, while iPhone access depends on Apple's decision. VimpelCom the same day sized Russia's 2027 5G market at RUB 35-45bn. What this means for Chinese sellers: the 5G rollout will lift demand for mid-range 5G Android handsets, routers and CPE, plus automotive and IoT accessories, so 3C sellers can stock up early — but respect Russian frequency bands and certification requirements rather than shipping China-domestic versions.

The Bank of Russia set official rates effective September 12 at USD 84.2569 (-0.0939), EUR 97.8728 (-0.4128) and CNY 12.5519 (-0.0118) roubles, with the rouble firming slightly against all three for a third straight session. What this means for Chinese sellers: CNY/RUB stays near 12.5, and a firmer rouble slightly compresses margins when converting CNY purchase cost into rouble retail prices — stop modelling at rates above 13.

According to China's General Administration of Customs (via Kommersant), Chinese goods shipments to Russia rose 30.7% year on year to $84.6bn in January-August 2026; Infoline puts first-half cross-border online orders up 40% to RUB 320bn. These two figures are the direct backdrop to distributors building stock and rising demand for 3PL warehouses. What this means for Chinese sellers: exports to Russia remain on a fast track, but the increment increasingly concentrates among distributors with local warehousing, while pure direct-parcel sellers lose share — either lock in a reliable Russian distribution or 3PL partner, or accept weaker price competitiveness.

Rosstat confirmed on September 11 that Russian consumer prices fell 0.08% month on month in August while annual inflation accelerated to 6.33%; the same day it confirmed Q2 GDP growth at 1.3% year on year. Food prices fell 0.3% and petrol price growth slowed to 0.76% from 6.47% in July, while sugar rose 5.7% on the month and 26.5% since the start of the year. What this means for Chinese sellers: with annual inflation above 6%, Russian purchasing power keeps eroding, so the pattern of volume in the low price band and pressure in the high band will persist — keep assortment and pricing tilted towards value for money.