Russia is targeting the supply chains that feed Kyiv, and the fallout is already showing up on grocery bills.
Warehouse attacks cripple supermarket supply
Recent Russian strikes have damaged or destroyed food warehouses that serve the country’s biggest supermarket chains, including Novus, ATB, Silpo and Fora. The hits have left many Kyiv shelves only partially stocked.
The destruction has limited the ability to keep perishable goods fresh, forcing retailers to prioritize non-perishable items.
Logistics hubs used by all of those retailers were hit, according to the report. In some stores, shelves are partially empty, forcing managers to rethink storage and distribution. Store operators now scramble to reroute deliveries and locate alternative depots.
Alternative depots are being identified in eastern regions, but transport times increase fuel consumption and handling fees.
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Officials warn of price hikes
Food and agrarian minister Taras Vysotsky said the attacks represent a shift in Russia’s campaign, moving from export-oriented farms in 2022 to the domestic logistics that keep cities running. “The enemy is purposefully trying to destroy the logistics that provide Ukrainian cities with food,” he told the outlet.
Vysotsky estimates that damage to warehouse infrastructure could lift food prices by about 2.5%. Some retailers suspect the rise could be higher if they must redesign supply routes to avoid future strikes.
Businesses adapt to new risks
One retailer, co-founder Dmytro Krymskiy of Bureau of Wine, reported a strike on a Kyiv-area warehouse on September 1 that destroyed roughly €4 million of inventory. It was the third major loss since the invasion began, following a €15 million hit in 2022 and a €1.5 million loss in July.
Krymskiy says rebuilding the same way no longer makes sense. The company is weighing options such as spreading stock across smaller sites, moving some inventory to neighboring Poland, or even storing goods underground. Each alternative adds complexity and cost.
He predicts his own businesses could see prices rise by about 5% as a result of the disruptions.
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E-commerce firms now use smaller dispersed hubs to stay operational.
These supply-chain challenges echo earlier phases of the war, when Russian forces first aimed at export farms and later at the power grid. In both cases, the strategy sought to weaken Ukraine’s ability to sustain daily life, and now the focus is on the arteries that bring food to city tables.
Broader impact on essential services
The attacks extend beyond groceries. Russian missiles have also struck e-commerce logistics centers and medical supply facilities. One of the World Health Organization’s main warehouses for humanitarian aid outside Kyiv was hit, according to the report.
Pharmaceutical firm Biokon said a recent facility strike destroyed three months’ worth of medicines and forced a temporary suspension of operations.
All of this occurs amid renewed fighting in the capital. A temporary truce that allowed U.S. negotiators safe passage ended Monday night, after which drone and ballistic missile attacks killed two people in Kyiv.