Russia has destroyed 90% of Ukraine’s modern warehouse capacities for storing various types of goods, Agricultural Policy and Food Minister Taras Vysotskyi said during a press briefing at Interfax-Ukraine on August 28.
This statement came amid intensified Russian attacks aimed at disrupting Ukrainian business operations by striking warehouses and logistics centres where goods are stored.
Vysotskyi warned that attacks on logistics infrastructure could narrow the range of products available in stores, but he stressed that Ukrainians face no risk of a food shortage. “There is no threat of famine,” the minister added.
Alternative routes for business
The relentless destruction of warehouses is forcing companies to find other ways to move and store goods. In the current situation, the most realistic solution, he said, is direct delivery from suppliers to production or retail sites, bypassing long‑term storage.
Some businesses are relocating to other regions, yet Russian strikes have already hit several of the facilities to which they moved.
The minister also urged an even distribution of risk among supply‑chain participants when goods are destroyed by Russian attacks, noting that the state does not intervene in commercial or contractual matters. “The state operator does not take part at any stage of the supply chain or retail trade,” Vysotskyi said. “These are purely commercial and contractual relations between the parties. From our point of view, a fair allocation of risk would still be appropriate,” he added.
Consequences of specific strikes
A deadly Russian rocket attack on August 5, which killed 17 people, also targeted warehouses of several supermarket chains and other civilian enterprises, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported on Telegram.
Afterward, some stores experienced limited supplies or a complete lack of everyday items such as vegetables, dairy products and meat. The situation was compounded by consumers stockpiling goods out of fear of further shortages. Despite the heightened attacks on warehouses, officials say Ukraine is not currently facing a food shortage.
During the same August 5 attack, a distribution centre of Ukraine’s largest online marketplace Rozetka was completely destroyed. Co‑founder Iryna Chechotkina said the facility handled more than 100,000 orders per day.
Later, a nighttime Russian strike on August 28 demolished 14 warehouses in the Kyiv region, including sites storing thousands of books for Ukrainian publishers and bookstore chains.
Source: Kyiv Independent
