[69536] Concern of a transport crisis: Ukraine may lose a third of its freight wagon fleet

Logistic crisis on the horizon: Ukraine facing mass scrapping of rail wagons

The industry and transport sector in Ukraine is expressing deep concern over the decision by the Ukrainian Ministry of Development to decommission thousands of freight wagons based solely on "passport age," instead of examining their actual technical condition. According to the Telegram channel Труха⚡️Україна, known for a distinct pro-Ukrainian line, the country could lose nearly 29,000 functional wagons by 2031, which is about a third of the national rail fleet.

The criticism focuses on the fact that the current method—which draws inspiration from the Russian model, intended to support wagon-building factories that also produce military equipment—is not suitable for the reality of a country at war. According to UA Stream, which reports on calls from trade unions and business entities, the need to transport critical cargo such as metal, cement, fuel, and military equipment for the country's recovery makes this move a genuine security risk.

Industrialists emphasize that while in Western countries, such as the USA and the European Union, it is common to operate equipment as long as it meets technical safety standards, Ukraine insists on forced scrapping. Critics warn that this step will lead to the destruction of valuable resources at a time when the country needs all possible transport capacity to support the economy and the war effort.