Rybchynskyi: Russia has attacked three major Ukrainian mills in recent months
Russia has attacked three major Ukrainian flour mills over the past two months, while the total number of operating flour mills in Ukraine has fallen by 31% since the start of the full-scale war, said Rodion Rybchynskyi, director of the Union "Millers of Ukraine", during the IAOM Eurasia Conference & Expo 2026 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Ukraine currently has 466 operating flour mills, compared with 678 before the full-scale invasion.
In 2024, Ukrainian mills produced 2.3 million tons of flour against installed capacity of around 3.5 million tons. At the same time, domestic flour demand fell to 2.1 million tons in 2025 from around 3 million tons before the full-scale war. Thus, the domestic market has lost around 30% of its consumption.
The industry’s financial performance has also deteriorated. The operating margin of flour mills fell from 12% before the war to 8%.
Despite these losses, flour mills continue to invest in production. Average annual capital investment in 2023–2025 amounted to UAH 1.212 billion, compared with UAH 542 million in 2022. Companies’ own cash flow remains the main source of financing.
Energy autonomy has become one of the key investment areas. Millers are also developing specialised production, adopting high-yield technologies, obtaining organic and halal certification, and gradually implementing ISO 22000, BRC and FSSC 22000 standards.
According to Rybchynskyi, the industry continues to supply flour to Ukraine’s eastern and southern regions, participates in procurement for the needs of the armed forces, and supports humanitarian programs.
