Kernel halts all sunflower oil plants after Russian strikes

Ukrainian agricultural holding Kernel, one of the world's largest sunflower oil producers, has halted operations at all its oil extraction plants due to massive Russian drone strikes on food industry facilities. The company reported that Russian drones targeted its production sites over the past day, damaging buildings, equipment, and tanks. Kernel stated the continuous, fire-hazardous production cycle made shutdown necessary to prevent large-scale fires and protect workers, with all safety protocols followed and employees safe. It also suspended all seed purchases. Despite the halt, Kernel maintains operational and financial stability, shipping existing stock and fulfilling obligations to farmers and partners. The company operates eight plants across six Ukrainian regions, with two in Kharkiv region idle since 2022. In July, Russia struck its sunflower oil terminal in Odesa region. Kernel, founded by Andriy Verevsky, reported a 35% profit increase to $322 million on $4.4 billion revenue for fiscal 2026.