On the morning of August 31, 2026, in the settlement of Bliznyukh in the Lozovskyi district of Kharkiv Oblast, a Russian unmanned aerial vehicle attacked a cargo truck of the Nova Poshta postal service. As a result of the hit, the vehicle caught fire and the driver sustained injuries. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a post by the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office.
Circumstances of the attack
According to the prosecutor's office, the strike on the postal service vehicle was carried out at around 3:50 a.m. Preliminary data from law enforcement agencies indicates that the occupying forces used a "Molniya"-type drone. After the hit to the cargo body, the truck burst into flames. Photos from the scene show heavily damaged and burned-out metal structures of the body with characteristic mesh paneling, as well as debris and fragments of materials scattered across the asphalt.
Consequences and the condition of the injured
The only person reported as injured in the original source is the truck driver — he sustained injuries. The prosecutor's post does not disclose information about his health condition or whether he was hospitalized. Judging by the photographs, the vehicle sustained damage incompatible with further use: the frame is deformed, the internal elements are burned out, and the wheel arches and the suspension air bag are damaged.
Legal qualification
The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office has opened a pre-trial investigation into the possible war crime. A criminal case has been registered under Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Law enforcement agencies are establishing all the circumstances of the attack on civilian transport, including the identification of the mechanism used to deliver the strike.
Decentralization of Nova Poshta's logistics
The attack in Bliznyukh comes against the backdrop of a change in the operator's strategy for storing shipments. As the company notes, following the strike on Nova Poshta infrastructure in Sviatopetrivske, a decision was made to abandon the concentration of goods in large centers. Shipments will now be distributed among branches across Ukraine: cargo and postal branches are effectively being used as local warehouses. Decentralization is intended to reduce the business's dependence on individual large facilities and ensure continued operations in the event of new Russian attacks.
Context: network expansion
Separately, it is noted that Nova Poshta continues to expand its logistics infrastructure in Ukraine, growing its network of sorting centers to increase throughput and ensure stable processing of shipments. As part of this project, the company is looking for entrepreneurs and owners of warehouse and logistics facilities for long-term cooperation.
