Russian drone strike destroys Rud cold-storage warehouse in Zhytomyr
A Russian drone strike destroyed a 4,350-square-metre refrigerated warehouse and adjoining facilities belonging to Ukrainian ice-cream producer Rud in Zhytomyr. The loss affects finished-goods storage and handling capacity at a company serving more than 75,000 domestic retail outlets and at least 36 export markets.
Cold store and equipment destroyed
A Russian drone strike has destroyed a refrigerated warehouse belonging to Rud, Ukraine’s largest ice-cream producer, on the southeastern outskirts of Zhytomyr. The 4,350-square-metre building contained finished products, loading equipment and other company assets. Administrative and staff facilities adjoining the warehouse were also destroyed.
There is a discrepancy between reports over the date of the attack. Channel 24, citing information supplied to NV Business by Rud legal department head Olga Blazhkevich, said the drone hit the warehouse at about 16:05 on 5 September. UA.News reported that the strike occurred on 25 September. Both publications give the same area for the destroyed premises and identify a drone as the weapon used.
Rud is assessing the consequences, and no final financial estimate has been disclosed. Channel 24 reported that law-enforcement authorities opened a criminal case following the attack. The available accounts do not identify casualties at the site or specify how much finished product was lost.
Loss reaches a major national supplier
Rud accounts for about 30% of Ukraine’s ice-cream market, according to company data cited by Channel 24 and UA.News. Operating since 1998, the business has a production complex in Zhytomyr and processes more than 35,000 tonnes of milk annually. Its products are sold through more than 75,000 retail outlets across Ukraine.
The company’s range extends beyond ice cream to frozen vegetables and berries, dough, bakery products, dairy goods and convenience foods. That product mix makes refrigerated storage and loading infrastructure central to its operations: finished goods must remain within controlled temperature conditions before delivery to retailers or transfer into export channels.
Domestic and export distribution face pressure
Rud is also described by Channel 24 as Ukraine’s largest ice-cream exporter. Its products reach more than 36 countries and are sold through retailers including Lidl, Kaufland, REWE, Billa, Aldi, Tesco, Auchan, Carrefour and Metro. The destroyed inventory has not been quantified, and neither report says whether production lines were damaged. The immediate operational exposure therefore lies in storage, order assembly and dispatch rather than confirmed loss of manufacturing capacity.
The warehouse loss could nevertheless restrict the volume of frozen products that Rud can hold at its Zhytomyr complex and complicate the timing of deliveries. The effect will depend on available capacity elsewhere, the company’s ability to redirect stock and transport, and the time required to replace cold-storage and loading equipment. For retailers and overseas buyers, the principal near-term risks are delayed shipments and reduced availability of particular products rather than a documented halt to all supplies.
The incident adds to damage reported at other Ukrainian commercial logistics sites. Channel 24 said a Russian attack had previously damaged a warehouse operated by Suziria Group in the Kyiv region, covering more than 8,000 square metres. For frozen-food businesses, repeated damage to warehousing presents an additional constraint because temperature-controlled inventory cannot be moved or stored as flexibly as shelf-stable goods.
