Russian rocket destroys German company Liqui Moly's warehouse in Kiev

A warehouse belonging to the German lubricant manufacturer Liqui Moly was hit in a Russian missile attack on Kiev, company spokeswoman Sina Ataei said on Thursday.

No one was injured in the attack or in a subsequent fire, she said. Damage is said to be in the low millions, with a team on the ground working at full speed to restore the Ulm-based company's supply chains.

A warehouse belonging to the German sportswear company Puma was also hit.

The destroyed site was the central warehouse of Liqui Moly's Ukrainian distribution partner, where, among other things, its products for the Ukrainian market were stored.

"So yes, of course it is an attack on us indirectly as well," Ataei said.

The company said it wants to provide its partner with warehouse facilities again as quickly as possible, but that is not so easy. It is not thinking about rebuilding the structure at the moment.

"Together we are working to limit the impact of the incident and continue to ensure supply for our customers," the spokeswoman said.

Russia's Defence Ministry in Moscow spoke on Wednesday of a mass attack directed at logistics and distribution centres for military goods. Warehouses in the capital Kiev and on the outskirts of the city were hit, it said.

Liqui Moly employs around 1,300 staff worldwide. The lubricant and additive manufacturer has grown steadily in recent years and in 2024 exceeded the €1 billion ($1.15 billion) revenue mark for the first time.