Ruslan Shostak, President of TERWIN, shared his thoughts on the situation with Ukrainian logistics and retail in relation to the intensification of Russian attacks.

11.09.2026

Recently, the media picked up news claiming that 90% of warehouses in Ukraine have been destroyed. Shortly after, photos of empty store shelves surfaced—a direct 'victory' for Russia over Ukrainian retail. I believe spreading such disinformation only plays into the enemy's hands. We must take a critical approach to numbers and facts.

As of today, destroying all warehouses is impossible. Since the start of the war, 2.1 million sq. m of Class A and B+ warehouses have been destroyed in Ukraine—1.5 million of which were in Kyiv Oblast. Notably, 900,000 sq. m have been destroyed since the beginning of 2026. At the start of the war, the volume of Ukrainian warehouses was estimated at around 4.2 million sq. m of Class A and B. Additionally, another 800,000 sq. m have been commissioned since the war began. In total, Ukraine had 5 million sq. m of warehouse space. With 2.1 million sq. m destroyed, approximately 2.9 million sq. m remain—nearly 50% of top-tier facilities. If you factor in the storage facilities of large enterprises across the country, that accounts for tens of millions of additional square meters across various classes.

At the current intensity, it would take Russia decades to destroy 90% of Ukrainian warehouses, assuming no rebuilding occurs in Ukraine at all. Therefore, spreading such news undermines the reputation of Ukrainian logistics and serves as a manipulative tactic to trigger panic within the country.

Now, regarding retail. Painful as it is to admit, what is happening right now is a true tragedy. If anyone wants to support their favorite chain—come shop. Make purchases. That is the best support in our current reality. But without panic. There is no need to buy up everything in bulk. There will be no deficit in Ukraine.

You will always find the item you need, if not in one store, then in another.
A network that has suffered a hit will need a maximum of two weeks to recover operations and set up a new supply chain. Destroy one store today, and another will appear in the same location tomorrow. Across the country, thousands of businesses stand ready to replace your favorite product. The only thing that might happen is having to buy a necessary item from a different brand or a different retail chain. Just bear with it.

Recently, another one of our stores burned down, following a previous VARUS warehouse. I have even stopped writing about these incidents because there is no sense in sowing panic. The focus must be on finding solutions.

The single biggest challenge today is that businesses in Ukraine lack access to insurance and effective subsidized lending for large enterprises. Finding an assistance tool and offering it to the market is the primary task for the Ministry of Economy. The market will then choose what suits it best. If this does not happen, Ukrainian business will not survive.