Financial TimesFinancial Times

Saving Ukraine’s economy: The grain giant fighting for survival

By Ben Hall and John Paul Rathbone

22 Mar 2023 · 9 min read

Editor's Note

A pioneering agro-industrial company helped turn Ukraine into the "breadbasket of the world". The FT describes how the Russian invasion has brought it and the rest of the economy to its knees.

Before they were pushed out by Ukrainian troops, the Russian soldiers scrawled “BOOM” in garish red lipstick across the laboratory table in the Nibulon grain terminal.

They ransacked offices at the company’s partially destroyed Kozatske facility, which lies on the west bank of the Dnipro river in southern Ukraine. They even destroyed the flower beds planted outside.

Sign in to informed

  • Curated articles from premium publishers, ad-free
  • Concise Daily Briefs with quick-read summaries
  • Read, listen, save for later, or enjoy offline
  • Enjoy personalized content
Or

LoginForm.agreeToTerms