Bivalve Mollusk Supply Chain In Ukraine Functions 19 Miles From Border With Russia. Another Ukraine Hotel Impacted By War. Landlords Taking Advantage Of Tenants. Buyers/Renters Prefer Bottom 20%
Saltwater Bivalve Mollusk Supply Chain In Ukraine Functions 19 Miles From Border With Russian Federation
Another Ukraine Hotel Impacted By The War
Landlords Taking Advantage Of Tenants
Buyers And Renters Prefer Bottom 20% Of High-Rise Buildings
Forty-eight hours prior to arrival to the Optima Sumy Hotel in Sumy, Ukraine, an email from the manager: “Good afternoon! Unfortunately, the Optima Sumy Hotel was damaged in connection with the shelling this morning. As a result of enemy shelling, the roof and part of the facade of the building were damaged. We are forced to inform you that your reservation has been canceled.”
No one was injured and the hotel will be repaired- and quickly given the ethos of citizens of Ukraine. The areas damaged included the areas where this space resides during visits.
Not the first time encountering this type of pre-arrival event. In 2023, prior to a visit to the Kharkiv Palace Hotel in Kharkiv, Ukraine, a rocket launched by the armed forces of the Russian Federation impacted the roof and upper floors of the hotel. The impacted areas included where this space resided during visits.
The city of Kharkiv (2021 population approximately 1.4 million), the second-largest city in Ukraine, is approximately thirty miles from the northeast border of Ukraine with the Russian Federation and both the city and its northern areas were among the first attacked by the armed forces of the Russian Federation in the early morning of 24 February 2022.
The early morning Ukrainian Railways train from Kyiv to Sumy departs as scheduled. The condition of the Ukrainian Railways train carriage reflects the mood visible by passengers- accepting, forgiving, quiet, reserved, sad, stoic, tired, and understanding. Some passengers are in military attire. For most passengers, Sumy represents hardship. While the train moves quickly, the journey is nonetheless depressing. The carriage is old, only a few electrical outlets. Absent the expanded Russian Federation-Ukraine War, the carriages long ago would have become a permanent resident in one of the railyard cemeteries in Ukraine where locomotives and carriages end their final journeys.
The city of Sumy (2021 population approximately 264,000) is situated nineteen miles from the border with the Russian Federation. The city and its surrounding towns and villages have since 24 February 2022 been impacted daily by drones, missiles, and rockets. The result is death, destruction, and injury. A meaningful percentage of the population relocated to other areas in Ukraine or relocated outside of Ukraine, primarily to within one of the twenty-seven member countries in the Brussels, Belgium-based European Union (EU). Companies have closed or relocated- taking employment opportunities with them. Families departed- taking their children. The result is fewer students in schools and fewer teachers needed for the remaining students. Schools closed and continued with online interaction.
But what about those residents who remain? Employees of companies- assembly, manufacturing, and service; students in school; and retirees? There remains a functioning economy in Sumy. Employers pay and spend. Employees are paid. Employees spend what they are paid. Pensioners spend their pensions- which are not maintaining parity with costs.
A functioning supply chain for products and services is essential for a country to efficiently make available to consumers and customers not only what they need, but what they want and to provide those products and services when consumers and customers need them and when they want them.
During the expanded Russian Federation-Ukraine War, now into its fifth year, companies in Ukraine continue to balance what they need to provide to consumers and customers with what they want to provide to consumers and customers.
At Amici Felici by La Spezia, a restaurant opened since 24 February 2022, management caters to the mindset of pre-war Sumy and during-war Sumy. Normalcy co-existing with anything but normal.
From breakfast (serving a fine Shakshuka) through dinner, guests dine on Norwegian Herring Carpaccio With Warm Potatoes, Warm Chicken Liver With Caramelized Pear, Rolls-Royce Roll Premium, Tagliatelle Quattro Formaggi, Amici Felici Seafood Branded Pizza, European Plaice With Chanterelle Mushrooms, and “Unbreakable Sumy” Cake among other presentations.
The prices are not exorbitant. The service delivered by an efficient and pleasant team. The demographics of the guests: A group of young women celebrating with flowers and wine, couples- young, middle-aged, senior.
From an illuminated tank of water near the bar. Bubbling to preserve life. Mounds of oysters. Perle Noir No. 2, Gillardeau No. 2, and Fine de Claire No. 2. The manager shared the oysters are sourced from Odessa and Europe.
Even nineteen miles from the boarder with the Russian Federation, a desired supply chain for saltwater bivalve molluskscontinues to function.
In 2023, at a hotel in Odessa, to the far left of an expansive breakfast buffet, a platter... with four types of oysters. Adjacent, a bottle of Prosecco. Those oysters did not originate from the Black Sea. They are sourced from the French Republic. They arrived (and continue to arrive) twice per week along with fresh dorado, frozen octopus, and other sourcing from oceans and seas. A wholesaler in the city of Kyiv, capital of Ukraine, coordinates the deliveries. And, tulips for honored guests attending the International Women’s Day dinner? They arrive from Poland.
There is value in Sumy. At the Voskresensky Hotel, a two-room suite includes a hot towel rack, bathrobe, slippers, refrigerator, and tea service. Room service available too. The rate: UAH 2,200 (approximately US$50.90). As Sumy recovers, likely the rate will increase.
Prices are increasing everywhere in Ukraine. Both for Ukraine-made products and services and for imported products and services.
Visit a supermarket- each month prices increase while the number of products in the shopping cart decreases.
Apartment rent continues to increase- particularly as renters no longer want to be on the 30th floor, or 20th floor, or 10th floor. Preferred today are floors one to four. Why? Drones, missiles, and rockets tend to target upper floors. Often, the higher the floor, the more likely interruption of electricity, gas, and water. Lower floors make access to stairs far easier, particularly with young children and older adults.
Increasingly, landlords are seeking month-to-month occupancy to they may- and they do, demand rent increases- and substantial rent increases, solely as a mechanism to empty an apartment so it may be rented again- for more money.
Landlords also increasingly refuse to make repairs- messaging the tenant to make the payment. Then, when the tenant makes the repair, the landlord refuses to reimburse the tenant- and then the landlord tries to increase the rent because now the apartment is improved.
Thus far, neither the government of Ukraine nor the governments at the city, town, or village levels are embracing a fortified and institutionalized defense of tenant rights. Maybe, the government of Ukraine is embracing a strategy of benign neglect. It’s not working.
