No systemic supermarket closures in Ukraine – economy minister

Despite the difficult energy situation, there are no systemic supermarket closures in Ukraine; stores are only shutting temporarily to fix technical issues.

According to Ukrinform, Economy, Environment and Agriculture Minister Oleksii Sobolev said this in a post on Facebook following an online meeting with the heads of major retail chains.

"All chains have confirmed that there are no systemic supermarket closures. Among the difficulties businesses report is that store equipment occasionally fails due to heavy load and prolonged frost, which complicates maintenance," Sobolev said.

He clarified that in such cases supermarkets temporarily close to repair generators or eliminate other technical malfunctions, after which they immediately resume operations.

The minister also stressed that retailers are making every effort to support consumers, including independently setting up charging and heating zones. In some stores, people can work or rest.

The state, for its part, is negotiating with international partners to increase the supply of generators and spare parts.

According to Sobolev, the main task is to ensure uninterrupted access to food for Ukrainians even during prolonged power outages. Supermarkets will continue operating further.

Earlier reports said that due to power outages in Kyiv and the Kyiv region, some Silpo and Novus supermarkets were temporarily suspending operations.