War Record: Ukrainian Shopping Malls Reported the Highest Losses Due to Air Raid Alerts
4 August 09:25
In July 2026, Ukrainian shopping centers recorded the highest level of downtime due to air raid alerts since the start of the full-scale invasion. The percentage of time that shopping centers were forced to suspend operations due to the threat of airstrikes reached 19.9% of their operating hours.
This was reported by the Ukrainian Council of Shopping Centers, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
July set a record for the amount of lost operating time
According to the UCC, in July, the proportion of air raid alerts during shopping center operating hours reached 19.9%, marking the highest monthly figure since February 2022.
For comparison:
- in July 2025, this figure was 10.9%;
- in June 2026, it was 17.8%.
Thus, in just one month, the proportion of forced downtime increased by more than two percentage points.
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All key indicators have risen
Analysts note that, compared to June, virtually all indicators related to air raid alerts have increased:
- the number of air raid alerts;
- the number of alerts specifically during shopping mall operating hours;
- the total duration of alerts;
- the duration of alerts during shopping center operating hours.
This directly affects the retail sector, tenants, employees, and shoppers.
Which regions are most affected by air raid alerts
The highest proportion of working hours spent under air raid alerts in July was recorded in the following regions:
- Donetsk Oblast — 89.5%;
- Zaporizhzhia Oblast — 73%;
- Sumy Oblast — 73%;
- Kharkiv Oblast — 59.8%;
- Chernihiv Oblast — 34.1%.
These regions remain the most vulnerable to regular Russian airstrikes.
How long have shopping centers been closed since the start of the war?
According to estimates by the Ukrainian Council of Shopping Centers:
- the average forced downtime for shopping centers since the start of the full-scale war has already reached 160.5 working days;
- in July 2026 alone , shopping centers lost an average of 5.4 working days due to air raid alerts.
How the statistics were calculated
The analysis used data from an interactive air raid alert map maintained by the Ukrainian Council of Shopping Centers.
Before processing, the data was cleaned of duplicate entries, technical errors, and alerts lasting more than 24 hours. Additionally, only the operating hours of shopping centers— from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.—were taken into account.
Experts note that the statistics allow for an assessment of the impact of the security situation on the Ukrainian retail sector and the economy as a whole.
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