Zmiiv vegetable factory in the Kharkiv region, was completely destroyed in 2023 with the hit of Russian rockets. Before that the company was the largest producer of greenhouse cucumbers in Ukraine with total area of 21 ha under cucumbers and tomatoes.
The greenhouses of the vegetable factory in the village of Slobozhanske were subjected to several waves of Russian attacks. For the first time, they were damaged by shelling in 2022 - at that time, the front line was 15 kilometers from the enterprise. Last year, the greenhouse was completely destroyed by a Russian rocket. The damage caused by the Russian strikes has not yet been fully calculated, says the director of the Zmiiv vegetable factory, Ihor Sysenko.
"Throughout 2022, the operation of the greenhouse was very unstable. When shelling, glass was blown away and pouring down covering the plants inside of the greenhouse. It was impossible to ensure work in the greenhouse. In a radius of 1 kilometer, even in the nearby houses, all the windows were blown away with explosions. But we continue to grow vegetables," says the director of the enterprise.
"Up to 400 people worked for us before the war, now - 80." says Ihor Sysenko. "In 2022, many skilled staff-members left the company. The nearby territories were occupied, the front line was 12 kilometers away. Bridges were broken. We were cut off from all communications throughout March 2022: no supplies were possible, no fertilizers, no crop protection, we could not release our vegetables although the neighbouring towns badly experience the lack of food supply. Very difficult times, but we survived them," says Sysenko.
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