A nighttime attack by Russian missile systems dealt a crushing blow to key assets of one of Ukraine's largest retail chains — 'Epicentr'. As a result of the massive strike on production and logistics facilities, the company lost one of the country's main ceramic tile manufacturing plants and suffered severe human casualties.
Tragedy in Kalinovka: Human Casualties
The event is made particularly acute by the loss of life. An employee of the company was killed at the logistics and production complex in Kalinovka. In a statement from 'Epicentr', the tragic death of a young man, "who had a whole life ahead of him," is reported. Three other employees sustained injuries of varying severity and are currently in hospitals.
The scale of destruction in Kalinovka is colossal. Direct missile hits completely destroyed two large warehouse complexes. Additionally, the parking lot where employees' personal cars were parked burned down — 20 vehicles were destroyed.
Complete Production Halt
A separate strike hit the 'Epicentr Ceramic Corporation' plant. A missile struck the production site directly, destroying all kilns. This equipment is critical for the plant's operation, and its destruction has made further functioning of the factory impossible.
The company was forced to decide to suspend production at this plant. According to preliminary estimates by experts, restoring the destroyed production will take at least a year and a half, and most likely — about two years. This means that the ceramic tile market will face a serious shortage of products in the foreseeable future.
Strike on Logistics in Kyiv
The enemy simultaneously struck other key facilities. In Kyiv, on Viskozna Street, one of 'Epicentr's' logistics centers burned down completely. This incident was part of a broader nighttime attack during which the Russian side launched ballistic missiles twice and attempted to attack the capital with drones.
The consequences of the strikes were recorded in several districts of Kyiv: Obolon, Sviatoshyn, Desnyanskyi, and Holosiivskyi. Fires broke out in both warehouse and residential buildings there.
Total Losses from the Night Attack
The attack on August 5 was one of the bloodiest in recent times. In total, 14 people were killed and 22 injured as a result of the nighttime strikes. The greatest damage was inflicted in the Brovary, Bucha, and Fastiv districts, where the enemy specifically targeted warehouses and logistics enterprises.
'Epicentr' emphasized that the scale of the damage cannot yet be fully assessed. However, the company believes that this is not just about commercial losses. "This is a targeted strike against Ukrainian production, logistics, jobs, and the country's ability to recover," — noted representatives of the retailer.
