Expert Mykola Kovzel on How Stable Logistics Enabled Ukrainian Businesses to Maintain Their Operations Even in Difficult Years

Автор:  Ruslan Sorokopud

The transport and forwarding sector has become one of the key pillars of Ukraine's economy during a period of constant challenges. According to logistics expert Mykola Kovzel, it was the coordinated work of the logistics system that allowed companies to maintain production processes, secure access to raw materials, and continue exporting even when business conditions were changing week by week. He notes that efficient logistics is no longer just a supporting service but "a fundamental component of economic security," enabling Ukrainian manufacturers to adapt and preserve their positions on international markets.

Mykola Kovzel writes about this in his blog:
https://www.salon24.pl/u/mykola-kovzel/1476585,mykola-kovzel-o-roli-branzy-transportowo-spedycyjnej-w-odbudowie-gospodarki

After 2022, the sector underwent its largest transformation in decades: many traditional routes became unavailable, forcing an urgent reorientation of cargo flows to western corridors through Poland, Slovakia, Romania, and Hungary. This increased pressure on infrastructure and required companies to seek new solutions, change partners, and build more flexible logistics strategies. Mykola Kovzel emphasizes that the speed at which the market adapted proved the sector's ability to operate under uncertainty: businesses managed to find alternative routes, restore supply chains, and fulfill export contracts.

A particularly important role during this period was played by freight forwarders, who became the central link between manufacturers, carriers, and clients. According to Mykola Kovzel, they were the ones who ensured predictable deliveries and rapid route adjustments when circumstances required it. "During crisis periods, it was the work of forwarders that allowed companies to continue operating and to retain their partners abroad," Kovzel says.

Mykola Kovzel also highlights the growing significance of Western Ukraine, which has become the new logistical core of the country. Lviv, Zakarpattia, and other border regions have absorbed the majority of external trade flows and have effectively formed a new logistical map of Ukraine. Western routes have become the main channel for exporting agricultural, metallurgical, engineering, and other products, which has enabled Ukrainian businesses to maintain-and in some segments strengthen-their presence in European markets. In the words of Mykola Kovzel, "these regions serve as a logistical shield through which Ukraine sustains trade and preserves economic resilience."

The stable functioning of the logistics sector has also played an important role in maintaining employment: logistics provides jobs for drivers, forwarders, warehouse workers, service staff, and transport companies. Each successfully delivered cargo load, Kovzel notes, contributes to the operations of companies and to the well-being of entire regions.

In conclusion, Mykola Kovzel stresses that further development of the logistics sector is essential for Ukraine's economic recovery. The industry needs predictability, infrastructure upgrades, modern tools, and strong professional training. "The more efficiently our logistics chains operate, the faster Ukraine will be able to recover and strengthen its position on international markets," says Mykola Kovzel. He adds that although the work of logisticians and carriers often remains invisible to the general public, it is precisely their daily efforts that make it possible for the country to trade, produce, and move forward.