Russian attacks damaged or destroyed distribution facilities belonging to three of Ukraine’s largest retailers, Dnipro-M, VARUS, and Aurora, in Kyiv and the Kyiv region between Aug. 29 and Aug. 31, the companies wrote in social media posts. All employees at the three sites not only survived, but received no injuries according to the posts.
The attacks disrupted supply chains for tools, groceries, and household goods sold across the country, with two of the three retailers already warning customers of delivery delays.
It is another wave of devastating Russian attacks on the largest civilian retail and logistics companies in Ukraine as Russia exhausts the country with air raid alerts and jet-powered shahid attacks throughout the whole day.
Dnipro-M distribution center in Kyiv sustains damage
A massed Russian attack on Kyiv on Aug. 29 damaged a distribution center operated by Dnipro-M, a national tool retailer, the company wrote in a Facebook post. All employees at the site were unharmed, the company wrote.
Dnipro-M, a Ukrainian power-tool brand founded in 2011, operates over 650 salons in more than 130 cities of Ukraine, according to RAU, and expanded into Poland in 2023, opening its first store in Wrocław, according to its Facebook post.
The company wrote that it is recovering from the attack and warned customers to expect minor delays in product deliveries and tool repairs. Dnipro-M wrote it is doing everything possible to keep the disruption to a minimum and will contact affected clients directly if issues arise.
VARUS warehouse in Kyiv region loses part of its stock
Russia struck a VARUS supermarket warehouse in the Kyiv region overnight on Aug. 31, the company wrote in a Facebook post, marking another attack on the retailer’s logistics network. All employees survived; none was injured, according to the post.
VARUS operates roughly 118 supermarkets across Ukraine’s central and southern regions under its classic supermarket, “To Go,” and “VARUS Home” formats. The Dnipro-headquartered chain is owned by businessmen Ruslan Shostak and Valeriy Kiptyk, according to NV.
“The most important thing is that everyone is alive – none of our employees were harmed,” the company wrote.
The attack destroyed or damaged a significant share of the goods stored at the warehouse, VARUS wrote.
The company warned customers of possible delivery delays for some products and temporary gaps on store shelves, adding that it is already working to restore supply chains and restock its stores as quickly as possible.
Aurora loses third distribution center in nine days
Russia destroyed another Aurora distribution center in the Kyiv region on Aug. 31, the third attack on the retail chain’s logistics facilities in nine days, Taras Panasenko, Aurora’s co-founder, wrote in a Facebook post. Employees at the site were unharmed; all were in a shelter during the attack, according to the post.
Aurora, a national bargain retail chain with a US “dollar store” format, operated more than 1,600 stores across Ukraine according to Liga’s data in 2024, and has expanded into Romania since 2023.
“We will be able to talk about the other consequences of the attack later,” the post quoted Panasenko.
Aurora has not disclosed the scale of material damage from the Aug. 31 attack or its impact on the chain’s operations.
The attack was the third that hit Aurora’s logistics network in just over a week. Russia destroyed another Aurora distribution center in the Kyiv region on Aug. 27; employees there were also unharmed.
Five days earlier, on Aug. 22, Russia hit Aurora’s logistics hub in the Poltava region, hitting it a second time as State Emergency Service crews worked at the site — an attack that destroyed the warehouse and damaged the agency’s equipment.