Russian strikes leave Kyiv supermarkets with empty shelves

Ukrainian supermarkets have rarely hinted at the ongoing war, with grocery stores remaining well stocked with local and imported goods despite Russia's full-scale invasion.

It all changed late last week.

A deadly Russian ballistic missile attack on Aug. 5 targeted warehouses belonging to various supermarket chains and other civilian enterprises, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media.

Since then, supplies of everyday products such as vegetables, dairy, and meat have been noticeably low, or even absent, in some stores. The disruption has been compounded by customers buying more than usual as they prepare for the possibility that supplies could worsen.

"There were no simple things like potatoes," says screenwriter Nina, 50, whose online order from Ukrainian supermarket chain Silpo arrived missing quite a few items.

Six of Silpo's employees were killed when Russia attacked two of the company's distribution centers. Novus, another supermarket chain, had its logistics center — described by the company as "the heart of the entire network" — targeted for the second time.

"A lot of business was lost, and this is a problem. If (attacks) continue like this, there will be more problems," says another Kyiv resident, also named Nina.

The disruption is a faint reminder of what life looked like at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Oleksandra, a retired university lecturer, recalls seeing a fully-stocked supermarket in Lviv for the first time after fleeing Kyiv in the early days of the all-out war in 2022.

"It was a shock when we moved to Lviv, just went to the supermarket and got food. It was as if America got there after Soviet times."

The current shortages do not appear to have brought Kyiv back to the conditions of early 2022. But for many residents, the sight of empty shelves is enough to revive memories of that period.

Without conceding to panic, many residents prepare for the worst by stockpiling non-perishables like salt and oil.

"This year, it confirms that we need to stock up because, as I understand, even if there are products, we don't know what will happen with gasoline," says Kyiv resident Valentyna. Since the start of the full-scale war, she has kept a supply of certain goods, "just in case."

Certain stores within the Fora supermarket chain have started putting signs that read "Russia destroyed this product" on bare shelves.

Seeing empty shelves at her store, merchandiser Inna, 60, tries to find the necessary products at other chains across the city. Yet the disruption has affected multiple large-scale distributors and retailers whose warehouses are located just outside the city.

"A lot has definitely changed. There are not enough vegetables, not enough fruits, pasta, or flour. People are scared and buying more than usual. Perhaps, this shortage is also related to this," says Inna.

Her observation points to a second factor behind the shortages: while damaged distribution centers have disrupted supplies, heightened demand from people stocking up may also be putting additional pressure on retailers.

In the same attack, a distribution warehouse belonging to Ukraine's largest online marketplace, Rozetka, was also completely destroyed. It used to process over 100,000 orders a day, according to its co-founder, Iryna Chechotkina.

However, the disruption has not brought Kyiv's food supply to a standstill. Supermarkets are working to restore normal distribution, and while some shelves remain sparse, residents are also turning to other retailers and farmer markets for the summer season.

Supermarkets assure their customers that restocking will take place by Aug. 24, Ukraine’s Independence Day.

For now, the empty shelves are as much a reminder of what could happen as evidence of what is happening.

"I think in the winter it (shortage) would be very noticeable. I hope by winter we will win, that's all I'd like," chuckles Kyiv resident Oleksandra.