Food shortages recorded in Russia’s Belgorod region
Residents of border districts in Russia’s Belgorod region have begun to lodge mass complaints about a shortage of basic food products, in particular milk and bread, in local shops.
This is reported by Pepel.
The region’s governor, Gladkov, has officially acknowledged serious logistical problems, explaining them by constant shelling that makes the delivery of goods dangerous for carriers. The most critical situation is currently observed in the Grayvoron district, where, despite statements by local authorities about stability, residents report empty shelves even in large stores.
Difficulties with food supplies in Russia have intensified following strikes on the region’s energy facilities, including a thermal power plant, which at the beginning of January left more than half a million residents without electricity and heating. This triggered panic among the population of Belgorod and nearby towns: people began massively buying long-shelf-life products such as buckwheat and canned meat. The regional administration is trying to explain the emergence of bread shortages in the regional centre itself by panic buying, but actual disruptions in the supply of raw materials and energy to bakeries point to a systemic failure in Russia’s rear infrastructure.
Russia’s regional Ministry of Agriculture is attempting to negotiate with suppliers to restore regular deliveries, but the difficult security situation in the border areas is forcing many commercial operators to refuse trips into dangerous zones. The authorities assure that the situation is under control; however, reports from local residents indicate the opposite. Further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the region is a direct consequence of the war Russia is waging against Ukraine, which is now increasingly being felt inside the aggressor’s own territory.
Russia entered 2026 with a noticeable acceleration of inflation — price growth rates at the start of January rose significantly compared to the end of last year.
British intelligence notes that the demographic crisis in Russia is deepening due to the full-scale war against Ukraine, mass emigration, and heavy combat losses. The Kremlin’s efforts to stimulate birth rates are unlikely to stop the population decline in the near future.
