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๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ฎ Finland /Conflict & Security

Russian strikes leave food shelves empty in Kyiv

From Helsingin Sanomat · () Finnish

Translated from Finnish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Russian strikes on major food, consumer-goods and pharmaceutical warehouses have left gaps on supermarket shelves in Kyiv.
  • Shoppers reported shortages of milk, pasta, frozen products, fruit and vegetables, while some stores restricted household purchase quantities.
  • Residents are concerned about access to medicines and whether further strikes could target fuel stations.

Milk, pasta and frozen foods have suddenly disappeared from some Kyiv supermarket shelves after Russian strikes hit major distribution warehouses this week.

The shortages vary from store to store. One supermarket had no sugar, while another still had it, but prices differed sharply. At one shop, all frozen products had sold out, and only small amounts of fruit and vegetables remained.

This store had no milk.

· Anatolii BudkoThe 84-year-old Kyiv resident described the shortages he encountered while shopping.

The empty shelves mark a striking change for Kyiv residents, who had generally found stores well stocked during the war. Helsingin Sanomatโ€™s contributor Andri Dubtลกak visited supermarkets in central Kyiv on Saturday to ask shoppers whether they had found what they came to buy.

โ€œThis store had no milk,โ€ said 84-year-old Anatolii Budko. He said the attacks on food warehouses were clearly visible in the shops and had visited several markets to find butter at the lowest possible price. Asked how Kyiv residents would cope through the winter if the strikes continued, he replied: โ€œWe will somehow manage. We just have to push through it.โ€

We will somehow manage. We just have to push through it.

· Anatolii BudkoHe responded to a question about coping through the winter if attacks on food warehouses continued.

Russia has also struck warehouses holding consumer goods and medicines. Shelves at Aurora, a popular Ukrainian discount chain, were partly empty after an attack on its warehouse near Kyiv the previous Monday. Some stores have begun limiting sales to households, including flour by a few kilograms. The impact of the warehouse strike on medicine availability remains unclear. Residents also fear that attacks could move from food warehouses to petrol stations.

Natalia Didukh, 50, who returned to Kyiv from the United States a month ago, said she found everything she needed but bought two packets of buckwheat for her household supplies. โ€œIt is difficult to talk about this. We really are struggling,โ€ she said. On Friday, Russian drones struck warehouse buildings four times in Sviatopetrivske near Kyiv, setting them on fire.

It is difficult to talk about this. We really are struggling.

· Natalia DidukhThe Kyiv resident described the strain of living with the war despite the appearance of normality.
About this summary

Originally published by Helsingin Sanomat in Finnish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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