Attacks on NGO Warehouses

Location(s): Odesa Oblast and Ternopil city, Ukraine 

Date of event: Several, e.g., May 8 and 13, 2023 

What happened: Russian missile strikes against targets in Odesa Oblast and Ternopil city destroyed NGO warehouses. The attacks increase the risk to international and local NGOs using storage facilities in industrial zones and nearby rail infrastructure. 

Event Details

• On May 8, a Russian missile strike hit and damaged a large logistics hub near the Dachne settlement between the Е-95 Highway and the railway line in Odesa Oblast. The attack incited a fire, which destroyed the logistics complex, including warehouses storing humanitarian aid. The warehouse was used by a Ukrainian humanitarian organization and an INGO, but no humanitarian staff was harmed. 

• On May 13, Russian forces launched a missile strike targeting Ternopil city. A missile affected an industrial park, significantly wrecking the area. The blast damaged a warehouse by a local humanitarian organization and caused a fire destroying up to 100 tons of food. Two civilians were injured. 

Analysis

• Russian Forces adjusted their strategy in early April, reducing strikes against energy infrastructure and targeting more objects of military significance instead. Their rationale is potentially connected to Ukraine’s preparations for a counteroffensive and the continuing delivery of Western heavy weaponry.  

• The missile strikes on May 8 in Dachne and May 13 in Ternopil city indicate a trend of Russian targeted actions against storage objects. It is likely that the Russian forces mistakenly identified the storage facility as a military warehouse. These developments suggest that Russian forces view any large warehouse as a potential target – even if it means risking collateral damage and harm to civilians. 

• However, certain indicators seem to increase the probability of specific storage being attacked: 

  • Vicinity to railway infrastructure, 

  • The presence of industrial facilities nearby, 

  • Location in frontline areas or the immediate rear. 

Impact

• Russia will likely continue hitting targets it considers dual-use facilities, aiming to deplete Ukraine’s capability to amass weapons and ammunition. 

• That increases the risk to NGOs that rely on storage facilities in industrial zones or are closely located to railway infrastructure of being hit either by mistake or as collateral damage.