Key facts
- Ukrposhta, Ukraine's state postal service, delivers pensions, utility payments, food, and medicine to remote areas.
- The service is considered a vital lifeline for millions of poor and elderly Ukrainians living in remote villages.
- Russia has intensified attacks on Ukrposhta's infrastructure and staff, which the service head claims is a deliberate tactic.
- Since 2022, hundreds of Ukrposhta branches and vehicles have been damaged, and over 50 staff have died.
- Postmistress Kateryna Marynych, who lost her home and husband in the war, continues her deliveries despite her post office being destroyed by a Russian drone.
- Post vans carry significant amounts of cash and are equipped with antennas to detect small drones, while staff wear body armor.
Igor Smelyansky, the head of Ukraine's state postal service, Ukrposhta, faces the daily challenge of deploying his employees into dangerous front-line areas, balancing the need to deliver essential services against the ever-present threat of Russian drone attacks. Ukrposhta provides more than just mail delivery; it distributes cash pensions, collects utility payments, and delivers food and medicine to vulnerable populations in remote villages, acting as a crucial link that holds the country together amidst the ongoing war.
Smelyansky described the difficult decisions he must make, stating that if an area is too dangerous, they will not go, but will try again the next day or reroute. He acknowledged the risks, including the potential for crowds forming around a post van to become a target for Russian drones, or the danger of information leaks to Russian sympathizers if they call ahead. He noted that choosing not to deliver can lead to criticism from villagers who feel abandoned, but going in could endanger drivers.
According to Ukrposhta, Russia has deliberately targeted its staff and infrastructure, including hundreds of branches and vehicles, resulting in the deaths of over 50 employees since 2022. Smelyansky believes these attacks are intended to pressure the population and undermine Ukraine's resilience. Russia denies targeting civilians.
Kateryna Marynych, a 38-year-old postmistress near Zaporizhzhia, exemplifies the risks faced by Ukrposhta staff. Having lost her home and husband during the invasion, she continued to serve the village of Lukasheve for two years until her post office was destroyed by a Russian drone. Despite the danger, she continues her rounds, delivering cash and collecting payments, with her partner Slava driving and providing security. They wear body armor and use drone detection equipment, having narrowly avoided being hit themselves. Marynych expressed her commitment to her work, stating, "If I can't, who will do my job?"