Russia Intensifies Strikes on Ukrainian Warehouses and Railways: Supply Chains Under Pressure

Russian forces have escalated their campaign against Ukraine's logistics infrastructure over the past three weeks, striking warehouses, railway stations and industrial facilities in at least five oblasts. The attacks have caused significant damage to retail supply chains and disrupted rail travel, but civilian casualties have remained remarkably low due to effective sheltering protocols.

Warehouses in the crosshairs

The most concentrated series of strikes hit Kyiv Oblast. On 29 August, a Russian missile destroyed a warehouse belonging to the home improvement retailer AGROMAT. The company reported that all staff survived and no one was injured, but the damage will cause delays to some orders (Ukrainska Pravda). Two days later, on the night of 30-31 August, the Varus supermarket chain warehouse in the same region was attacked. Varus said the strike destroyed a large quantity of goods, leading to temporary shortages on shop shelves, though all stores remained open (Ukrainska Pravda). That same morning, a UAV attack sparked a fire at warehouse premises in Kyiv's Desnianskyi district, which local Telegram channels identified as belonging to the ATB supermarket chain (Ukrainska Pravda).

The targeting of retail warehouses continued into September. On 3 September, Russian forces struck a Coca-Cola plant in Kyiv Oblast, though the extent of damage has not been detailed (Ukrainska Pravda). On 8 September, a wave of strikes on warehouses in Kyiv left five people dead across the day – the first reported fatalities from this logistics-focused campaign (Ukrainska Pravda).

Further east, on 16 September, a Russian drone hit an infrastructure facility in Poltava Oblast, causing a warehouse fire. Head of the Poltava Oblast Military Administration Vitalii Diakivnych said no injuries were reported, but warned of temporary air quality deterioration due to smoke (Ukrainska Pravda).

Railways take a hit

On 17 September, a Russian attack severely damaged the railway station in Berestyn, Kharkiv Oblast. Ukrzaliznytsia reported that passengers and staff were in a shelter at the time, so no one was hurt. However, trains No. 7/8 Odesa-Kharkiv and No. 53/54 Dnipro-Odesa will be rerouted, adding up to six hours to journey times. In Kyiv, the Mykilska Slobidka station was also damaged, forcing the Kyiv City Express to run on a limited loop, bypassing the Darnytsia-Pochaina section. Repairs are expected to take about a day (Ukrainska Pravda).

The railway strike follows a pattern of Russian attacks on transport infrastructure. On 27 August, Ukrainian Railways reported delays of over 10 hours for some trains after a previous attack.

A deliberate campaign?

The repeated strikes on warehouses and logistics hubs suggest a Russian strategy to disrupt Ukraine's civilian supply chains and economic activity. By hitting retail distribution centres and railway stations, Moscow aims to create shortages, raise costs for businesses and inconvenience ordinary Ukrainians – without causing mass casualties that would provoke stronger international condemnation.

Kyiv Oblast has borne the brunt of the attacks, but the strikes in Poltava and Kharkiv indicate the campaign is widening. The fact that civilian casualties have been minimal so far – only five confirmed deaths from the warehouse strikes – reflects effective air-raid warnings and shelter discipline, but the economic damage is mounting.

For Ukraine's European partners, the message is clear: Russia is willing to target the logistical backbone of the civilian economy, and the impact on supply chains may soon be felt beyond Ukraine's borders if the attacks continue.