New strike on Varus warehouse: network warns of supply disruptions

On the night of August 30 to 31, Russian forces once again attacked a VARUS warehouse in Kyiv region. A significant amount of goods was damaged or destroyed, prompting the network to warn of potential delays in deliveries and temporary stockouts of certain items in stores. This is the third Russian strike in the last 11 days to hit the logistics infrastructure of VARUS or its associated KOLO network.

VARUS reported that no employees were injured in the latest attack. However, the company suffered significant commodity losses. Products of partners stored on adjacent warehouse sites were also affected.

The network has already activated alternative solutions to restore supply. All VARUS stores remain open and operate as usual, but certain items may be temporarily unavailable in some locations in the near future.

Third strike on logistics in 11 days

The previous attack affecting the group's business occurred just four days earlier. On August 27, a Russian strike damaged a warehouse of the KOLO network, which recently became part of the VARUS team.

Then, employees were also unharmed, but the company had to assess commodity losses and restructure supply. KOLO warned of possible temporary delivery delays for certain items, though all stores continued to operate.

Even earlier, on the night of August 19 to 20, during a massive attack on Kyiv and the region, a missile strike hit a warehouse facility of a VARUS logistics partner in Boryspil. Part of the retail chain's inventory was stored there.

After that attack, VARUS also warned of possible local disruptions in the availability of certain goods and, together with its logistics partner, assessed the damages.

Thus, in 11 days, Russian strikes hit the VARUS supply chain three times: on August 20 — a logistics partner's warehouse in Boryspil, on August 27 — the KOLO warehouse, and on August 31 — the VARUS warehouse itself.

Several warehouse facilities burned in Kyiv region

The attack on the night of August 31 was much broader than a single facility. According to Kyiv Regional Military Administration head Timur Tkachenko, four people were injured in the region.

In Brovary district, warehouse premises and a commercial establishment were damaged. In Boryspil district, three warehouse facilities and an apartment building were damaged.

Separately, a fire was reported in warehouses in the village of Pohreby, and in the Hirska community of Boryspil district, the Russian attack damaged logistics warehouses. Rescue workers, police, and medical personnel worked at the sites, and firefighting had to be suspended at times due to repeated air raid alerts.

During the night attack, Russia used one Kh-59 guided air missile and 121 drones. Defense forces reported shooting down or suppressing 96 drones, with hits recorded at 11 locations.

Strikes on business also occurred in other regions

That same night, a Russian drone attacked Nova Poshta's innovative terminal in Odesa, where a key sorting line was destroyed and cannot be restored. The company has switched to backup logistics schemes.

In Dnipropetrovsk region, Russian drones also attacked an industrial enterprise in Kryvyi Rih and a DTEK mine. Workers were injured in both cases.

The recent series of strikes indicates an intensification of attacks specifically on warehouse, logistics, and industrial infrastructure, on which the supply of goods and operations of enterprises depend.

Sources: VARUS, Kyiv Regional Military Administration