Russians destroyed production at Chornobaivka poultry farm – losses amounted to 12 billion UAH

What happened? The occupiers looted and destroyed the Chornobaivka poultry farm, which was a key production facility for Kherson Oblast and the largest enterprise of the industry in Europe. Losses amounted to 12 billion UAH, or $ 330 million.

Source. The producer of chicken eggs in Ukraine, agricultural holding Avangard.

Details. It is noted that due to the death of 4.4 million birds, the situation in the oblast is qualified by law enforcement agencies as an ecocide committed by the occupiers.

In early March 2022, due to the occupation of part of the territory of Ukraine by russian invaders, the Chornobaivka poultry farm was left without electricity, without the ability to feed the poultry, transport workers to workplaces, and export finished products. About 4.4 million chickens died of thirst and hunger.

“Despite the shelling, some of the finished products and chickens were distributed to the local population at the beginning of the occupiers' offensive, but most of the birds died due to workers' inability to feed them. The death of such a large number of birds without the possibility of utilisation is an extraordinary event, in fact, an environmental disaster. This issue has become so critical that it was raised separately at a meeting of the UN General Assembly,” the statement reads.

After the occupation, the factory, which played a decisive role in the economic life of Kherson Oblast before the large-scale aggression, was looted by the russian occupiers. Everything valuable was taken away, everything that could not be taken away was damaged or destroyed.

The total financial losses of the agricultural holding due to the russian aggression are currently estimated at about 12 billion UAH. In particular, losses from the death of poultry amount to about 0.7 billion UAH. The lost income from unlaid eggs amounted to about 5.8 billion UAH. Equipment worth about 5.5 billion UAH was damaged and stolen.

In addition, the actual destruction of the key production for the industry has led to a shortage of chicken eggs in Ukraine. The supply on the market has significantly decreased and prices have risen.

“It should be noted that the Chornobaivka poultry farm was one of the largest and most modern production facilities in Europe. The loss of such an enterprise is a loss not only for the manufacturer. This is a loss for millions of consumers in Ukraine, because the supply of chicken eggs as one of the most affordable and high-quality products has significantly decreased,” the agricultural holding pointed out.

Prosecutors of the Kherson Oblast Prosecutor's Office are currently carrying out procedural guidance on criminal proceedings over the mass destruction of wildlife, which can cause an environmental disaster.