Polish Billionaire’s Factories in Ukraine Halt Production After Russian Drone Attacks
Russian drone strikes have severely damaged manufacturing facilities belonging to Polish billionaire Michał Sołowow in Ukraine, forcing the complete suspension of production at both the Cersanit ceramic plant in Zwiahel and the Barlinek wooden flooring factory in Winnica.
Production Halts After Successive Drone Strikes
Manufacturing operations at the Cersanit facility in Zwiahel, located in the Zhytomyr Oblast, came to a total halt following attacks during the nights of September 11-12 and October 15-16, Business Insider Polska reported. The strikes inflicted extensive damage on the physical buildings and critical components of the production lines. While on-site personnel safely evacuated without any recorded fatalities or injuries, company statements emphasize that ongoing air raid sirens, frequent evacuations, and unstable power grids make safe operations impossible. The enterprise has operated in Ukraine for nearly two decades, maintaining a workforce of roughly 1,000 employees spanning production, sales, marketing, and client service.
Scale of Destruction Prevents Rapid Reconstruction
Corporate leadership at Cersanit stated that the physical devastation across the Zhytomyr Oblast site is too extensive to permit rebuilding under current wartime conditions. The constant threat profile, power surges, and rolling blackouts prevent the stable voltage required for heavy industrial ceramic manufacturing.
Parallel Impact on Barlinek Operations in Winnica
The disruption extends beyond ceramics, hitting the timber sector as sister company Barlinek suspended manufacturing at its plant in Winnica, according to Interia Biznes. The Winnica facility, which provides employment for approximately 800 workers, previously sustained damage from a Russian drone strike in July 2025. Both Cersanit and Barlinek operate under the industrial portfolio of Michał Sołowow, ranking among the wealthiest entrepreneurs in Poland. Management teams across both entities concluded that employee safety obligations supersede regional production targets amid relentless aerial assaults.
Corporate Representatives Leave Remediation Timelines and Financial Losses Unconfirmed
The exact timeline for any future remediation work at either the Zwiahel or Winnica sites remains unconfirmed by corporate representatives. Neither Cersanit nor Barlinek has outlined financial estimates regarding the total capital loss resulting from the damaged machinery and halted export channels. As both enterprises manage the immediate safety protocols for their combined workforce of nearly 1,800 local staff, the broader economic ramifications for local industrial output in central and western Ukraine remain undetermined.
