Ukraine's wartime postal service risks lives to deliver essentials
IN SHORTUkraine's state postal service, Ukrposhta, continues to deliver vital supplies like food, medicine, and pensions to remote villages near the front lines, despite the constant threat of Russian drone attacks. The service's head, Igor Smelyansky, makes daily decisions on deployment, balancing operational success against the risk to his staff, some of whom have been killed.
Key Numbers
50+Ukrposhta staff killed since 2022
Who's Involved
Igor Smelyansky
head of Ukraine's state postal service Ukrposhta
Kateryna Marynych
postmistress delivering essentials near Zaporizhzhia
Ukrposhta
Ukraine's state postal service
Russia
accused of deliberately targeting postal service staff and infrastructure
↳ Why This Matters
The continued operation of Ukraine's postal service near the front lines highlights the country's resilience and the critical role of civilian infrastructure in maintaining support for vulnerable populations amidst conflict. The deliberate targeting of postal workers by Russia underscores the strategic importance of these services in sustaining morale and basic needs for those living in war-affect
Key facts
- Ukrposhta, Ukraine's state postal service, delivers pensions, food, and medicine to remote areas near the front lines.
- Igor Smelyansky, head of Ukrposhta, decides daily on deployment locations based on Russian attack intelligence.
- Smelyansky stated that if Ukrposhta does not deliver, people will struggle without basic supplies.
- Russia has deliberately targeted Ukrposhta staff, branches, and hubs, according to Smelyansky.
- Over 50 Ukrposhta staff have died since 2022, and hundreds of branches and vehicles have been hit.
Ukraine's state postal service, Ukrposhta, continues to operate near front lines, delivering essential goods and services despite the significant risk to its employees from ongoing Russian attacks. Igor Smelyansky, the head of Ukrposhta, makes daily decisions on deployment, balancing the need to reach vulnerable populations with the ever-present threat of Russian drones and shelling.
"If we don't go [to a village], we don't have basic supply. We don't have food. We don't have medicine. People will struggle," Smelyansky said, explaining the critical role the postal service plays in remote areas where shops are scarce and travel is dangerous. He noted that the service is a lifeline for millions of poor and elderly Ukrainians.
Smelyansky believes Russia is deliberately targeting Ukrposhta to undermine Ukraine's resilience. "By attacking Ukrposhta, you put pressure on people… who are depending on the truck coming in," he stated. He also acknowledged the risk of crowds forming around delivery vans, potentially creating targets for Russian drones, and the danger of information leaks to Russian sympathizers.
Since the full-scale invasion in 2022, hundreds of Ukrposhta branches and vehicles have been damaged, and more than 50 staff members have lost their lives, either on duty or during attacks on sorting offices and logistical hubs. The BBC reported traveling with Kateryna Marynych, a 38-year-old postmistress, near Zaporizhzhia. Her previous post office in Lukasheve was destroyed in March by a Russian drone that targeted soldiers nearby. Despite the destruction of her workplace, she continues to deliver pensions and take payments, with villagers expressing gratitude for the service.