Russia is preparing strikes on food industry facilities in Ukraine, including enterprises owned by Ukrainian and foreign companies. This was claimed by an anonymous source from the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine in comments to Interfax-Ukraine and RBC-Ukraine.
According to the source, possible targets include facilities for the storage and processing of agricultural produce, grain elevators, warehouses, plants producing sunflower and other vegetable oils, dairy and oil-processing enterprises, meat-processing facilities, poultry farms and other sites in the food sector. No specific enterprises, dates or alleged schedule for the attacks were mentioned.
The alleged aim is to put pressure on food security
“Russia’s goal is to destabilize the situation in Ukraine by striking at food security,” the source said, as quoted by Ukrainian media. According to the source, a subsequent information campaign would be intended to demoralize society, while damage to the enterprises would affect the economy and foreign-currency revenues in Ukraine’s budget.
At the same time, Ukrainian intelligence claims that Moscow aims to increase the share of Russian agricultural exports, particularly to countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. This is the position of the anonymous HUR source, not an independently confirmed fact.
Strike on a warehouse in Odesa
The report comes amid ongoing Russian attacks on logistics and civilian facilities in Ukraine. On November 9, Russian forces struck a warehouse in Odesa where food for kindergartens and schools was being stored. Three people were killed in the strike, local authorities said, as quoted by The Associated Press.
The Associated Press also reported previous strikes on food distribution centers and commercial facilities that disrupted logistics and left empty shelves in some Ukrainian supermarkets. Ukrainian officials said that producers and retailers were restructuring deliveries and that European countries could compensate for food shortages if necessary.
At present, information about planned new strikes on the food industry is based on a claim by an anonymous source from Ukrainian intelligence. No specific targets or evidence confirming preparations for individual attacks have been made public.
Sources: en.interfax.com.ua, rbc.ua, apnews.com