---
title: "Ukraine Enters the Most Difficult Period of the War, NYT Says"
description: "Ukraine is facing an unprecedented economic crisis due to intensified Russian strikes on infrastructure, logistics, and industry."
date: 2026-09-26T01:40:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ukraine-enters-most-difficult-period-of-war-nyt
tags: [ukraine-war, economy, russia-ukraine-conflict, nyt]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Ukraine Enters the Most Difficult Period of the War, NYT Says

![Economic consequences of the war in Ukraine in 2026](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/26/ukraina-v-samyj-slozhnyj-period-vojny-nyt/ukraina-v-samyj-slozhnyj-period-vojny-nyt-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- The EBRR lowered Ukraine's 2026 economic growth forecast to 1.5%.
- Ukraine is losing about one locomotive per day amid ongoing logistics disruptions.
- The Ministry of Economy estimates attack-related losses at roughly $10 billion by year-end.

Ukraine is entering its most challenging economic period of the war as Russian forces significantly intensify strikes against critical infrastructure objects. Moscow and Kyiv are locked in a severe war of attrition, shifting the focus of confrontation to industrial enterprises, transport hubs, and commercial supply chains. Experts at The York Times emphasize that this strategy aims to undermine production capacity and inflict maximum financial losses on the adversary.

### Economic Pressure and Declining Growth Forecasts

The intensified strike campaign targets a wide range of objects, including warehouses, sea ports, railway hubs, border crossings, and energy networks. Continuous air raid alerts paralyze business operations and force consumers to spend hours in shelters, drastically suppressing overall economic activity.  Amid these challenges, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development worsened Ukraine's 2026 GDP growth forecast to 1.5% in September, while EBRR Chief Economist Dimitar Bogov openly spoke about an unprecedented labor shortage and severe pressure on businesses.

### Infrastructure Losses and Logistics Crisis

The situation remains particularly severe on the transport and logistics fronts. Out of about 1,800 locomotives available before the full-scale invasion, Ukraine has irretrievably lost nearly 500 units, recording an average daily loss of roughly one engine. Systematic strikes on port infrastructure and grain silos are forcing international partners, particularly the European Union, to urgently supply mobile grain storage units to protect the harvest. The Ministry of Economy estimates potential losses at around $10 billion by the end of the year, factoring in both direct destruction and lost commercial opportunities.

### Business Adaptation and Symmetrical Response

Faced with unrelenting threats, Ukrainian business is urgently adapting to the brutal realities of total war. Companies are decentralizing warehouse facilities, moving production capacities underground, and establishing alternative logistics corridors to mitigate risks.  Meanwhile, Kyiv continues to strike back at Russia's economic infrastructure, deploying drones to target oil refineries and strategic commercial objects, thereby turning the current phase of the conflict into a full-scale contest of economic endurance.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Украина вступает в самый сложный период войны, - NYT](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ukrayina-vstupae-nayskladnishiy-period-viyni-1790385926.html) - Основной источник информации об экономическом состоянии Украины, анализе NYT и оценках ЕБРР.
- ["Воровать — так миллион": украинская коррупция породила мемы, пишет NYT](https://1prime.ru/20260916/ukraina-873357822.html) - Дополнительный контекстный материал от NYT, напрямую не связанный с текущей сводкой экономики.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Why is Ukraine's economy experiencing a difficult period in 2026?
**A:** The economy is under severe pressure due to intense strikes on logistics, industry, ports, and energy, alongside labor shortages and constant air raid alerts.

### Q: How has the EBRR's forecast for Ukraine's GDP growth changed?
**A:** The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development lowered Ukraine's 2026 economic growth forecast from 2.2% to 1.5%.