Maxim Tarasenko keeps an eye on his phone while shopping in a Kiev store, as residents of the Ukrainian capital are now monitoring news of Moscow marches at any moment in anticipation of any attack, while they shop and continue their daily lives.
The 26-year-old young man, while shopping in one of the stores of the Ukrainian “Silpo” chain, complains that his favorite drink has disappeared from the shelves. He says: “There is no longer any Coca-Cola at all, not even any alternative product,” and the reason is, of course, the Russian bombing. Maxim explains that last month, “there were no more potatoes or grains, and some types of vegetables were cut off.”
Moscow recently focused its bombing on civilian warehouses in the Kiev region, and the number of its air attacks on them over the past nine months increased by three times compared to the total of its raids during the first four years of the invasion, and a third of the raids were recorded since the beginning of August, according to press analyzes based on data from the “ACLED” organization, which specializes in analyzing armed conflicts, until September 18, according to what Agence France-Presse reported in a report on Sunday. Ukrainian Food Minister Taras Vysotsky admitted that this campaign “severely confused, and even completely disrupted,” the operational model of major supermarket chains based on central logistics platforms. The Minister called on retail chains to adopt decentralization in their logistical operations, and to rely on short supply chains and smaller warehouses or those located in neighboring countries.
After suffering severe blows, the Fawzi Group, which owns the Silbo chain of stores, announced in early August the reorganization of its logistics operations. Despite the absence of some brands, these stores have regained their vitality today. Their shelves now display piles of carefully arranged fruits, and their aisles are crowded with advertisements for offers. The calm music emanating throughout the store did not succeed in reassuring the customers who continued to look anxiously at their mobile phones, while a thick cloud of smoke rose in the Kiev sky after a recent drone raid on a market near the central train station. Maxim says that Moscow wants to "cause generalized panic among civilians." He recalls that when the shortage of goods began, Kiev residents rushed to buy some products to stock up on supplies before the winter. But he confirms that he maintains his composure, explaining, “There is a small market set up near my house, from which I sometimes buy basic products. The prices are a little cheaper.” If the situation deteriorates further, there is a store outside the city where he can stock up on potatoes.
A few kilometers away, firefighters on the outskirts of Kiev are busy working around a huge charred metal structure. Cans, oil bottles and bags of salt are visible between the melted sheets. The targeted building was a warehouse for the Eco Market chain of stores. Economist Oleg Bendzin reported that the Russian attacks caused a deficit of approximately $1.3 billion for the Ukrainian state. Vysotsky, for his part, warned that the reorganization of logistical chains may cause an increase in the prices of food products to consumers by up to 2.5 percent, while inflation reached 8.1 percent in August at an annual rate, according to figures from the Central Bank of Ukraine. Anya Dmitryko, 35, says the situation “is hitting the wallet hard.” She explains, “With a thousand hryvnia (about 19.5 euros), I could buy supplies, meat and sweets for the children. Today, it is no longer possible to buy almost anything.” As the sirens sound again at the central market in Boryspil, she drives away, pushing her cart full of sausages without turning around. The smell of fire has been spreading constantly since August in the small city surrounded by warehouses, after it became a primary target for Russian strikes. When the strikes approached in the evening, Anya quickly “grabbed her three children and ran with them to the basement.” Despite the risks, new customers come to her store, which is distinguished from supermarkets in that it is less affected by shortages of materials and high prices. In this regard, Oleg Bendzin explains that supermarkets are particularly popular with “the young generation of city dwellers with a comfortable income.” He says that most Ukrainian families buy “45 percent of their products from markets every month... and 30 percent of them in neighborhood stores.” These stores supply directly from local producers, which allows them to avoid “the risks of food shortages,” according to the economist.
The echoes of ground-based anti-aircraft missiles reverberate in the market, but they do not drown out the conversations that have been filling the air for days about inflation and the arrival of winter. Anya started preparing pickles and tomato mousse. She says: “The important thing is that we have food and water.” Giving up Coca-Cola is not a catastrophic matter.”
