Without Separate Items and with Delays: How Missile Strikes on Retail Supply Chains Will Affect Store Assortments

After Russian strikes on the logistics and production infrastructure of "Epicenter," the network may experience a temporary reduction in assortment and delays in deliveries. Certain products may disappear from shelves, and some goods will need to be delivered less frequently but in larger batches.

This was reported by the press service of "Epicenter" to Delo.ua.

"There may be point and temporary drops of individual items from shelves or a reduction in assortment depth— for example, when only part of several similar SKUs remains temporarily. At the same time, such changes are not critical for customers," the company noted.

"Epicenter" adds that they are working with manufacturers and suppliers to support stocks, particularly to replace individual items.

"At the same time, there may be a certain slowdown in logistics and changes in the rhythm of deliveries. Some goods will be more reasonable to deliver less frequently but in larger batches. We are already working on redistributing stock and restructuring logistics processes," the company reported. There is currently no critical shortage of goods in the network.

Against the backdrop of new mass attacks, the demand for backup power products has noticeably increased. Over the week, sales of power banks at "Epicenter" increased by 44%, and charging stations by 28% compared to the previous week.

At the same time, the company does not consider these changes a sign of panic buying.

"The demand for backup power products remains consistently high and grows year by year," explained "Epicenter."

At the same time, customers are gradually switching to more powerful devices. Almost half of power bank sales are accounted for by models with a capacity of 20-30 thousand mAh. When choosing, customers also consider power, mobility, the ability to charge laptops, and support for fast charging.

In sales of charging stations, the share of models with a power of up to 1000 W has decreased from 37% to 26% over the year. Meanwhile, the share of stations with a power of 1000 to 2000 W has increased by almost 13%. The most in-demand models by capacity are those over 2000 W·h.

"Today, customers are primarily addressing their current needs for backup power, although they are also considering the upcoming winter when choosing stations," the company noted.

"Epicenter" does not record a shortage of power banks and charging stations. According to the company, prices for them remain stable compared to last year.

In addition to energy independence products, increased demand is observed in the categories of basic products—grains, flour, oil, and canned goods.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, more than 10 "Epicenter" shopping centers have been completely destroyed—in Mariupol, Chernihiv, Bucha, Nikopol, Kharkiv, Kamianske, Kherson (two shopping centers), Sumy, and Kryvyi Rih. Another shopping facility in Melitopol is located in occupied territory. Another 13 shopping facilities have been damaged. In March 2025, the company estimated direct losses at over $1 billion, but after the attacks of 2025-2026, this amount has increased.

On the night of August 5, a Russian attack destroyed two large logistics facilities and a production site for ceramic tiles in Kyiv. The total area of the three facilities is about 240 thousand square meters.

In the week of August 12, Russian drones destroyed a shopping center in Zaporizhzhia with an area of almost 20 thousand square meters.

According to "Epicenter," the total area of destroyed, damaged, and occupied company facilities is about 660 thousand square meters.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian retail has been experiencing constant missile strikes from the enemy.

In August, Rozetka suffered the heaviest loss in its entire history: as a result of a strike, the largest and main distribution center of the marketplace in Brovary was completely destroyed. The total damage to the company exceeded 2 billion hryvnias.

The postal infrastructure, which provides the logistical basis for most Ukrainian e-commerce platforms, is also experiencing systemic destruction. "Nova Poshta" does not publish complete data on losses for security reasons; however, during the war, hundreds of its facilities across the country have been damaged—from sorting terminals to local branches.

Only in 2025, the company lost 12 facilities destroyed and almost 70 damaged, and the August shelling dealt another blow to its capacities in the capital region.

The food retail sector is also suffering colossal losses.

The Novus chain lost its main logistics center in the Svyatoshyn district of Kyiv and its flagship store in the Retroville shopping center back at the beginning of the invasion in March 2022, and the August attacks of 2026 again damaged its distribution capacities.

The "Silpo" chain (Fozzy Group) has repeatedly been the target of attacks. Back at the beginning of the invasion, their key facility in Victory, Kyiv region, was burned, and during the night attack on August 5, 2026, four of the company's distribution centers in the region were affected.

ATB has also repeatedly been targeted by attacks and regularly suffers property losses in the east and south of the country. In particular, in June, its distribution center with an area of 37.5 thousand square meters was completely destroyed in Dnipropetrovsk region.

This content is provided for general informational purposes only and doesn't constitute financial, investment, legal, or tax advice. Any events, rewards, online promotions, or related information mentioned herein should not be considered a recommendation, solicitation, or invitation to purchase, sell, trade, or otherwise deal in any crypto assets. Crypto assets are highly volatile and may result in loss. The availability of WEEX services, products, and related events may vary by region. You are responsible for ensuring that your participation is in accordance with applicable local laws and regulations.