---
title: "New Drone Against Power Lines: How Russia is Preparing an 'Energy Winter' for Ukraine in 2026"
description: "⚡️ Intelligence warns: Russia is preparing an 'Energy Winter' for Ukraine. A new drone has been developed to sever power line pylons. Threats to gas and water remain, but fuel reserves exceed minimum norms. Rumors of 'lockdowns' in Kyiv and Kharkiv have been refuted. #Ukraine #Energy #Intelligence"
date: 2026-08-18T05:32:02.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/new-drone-against-power-lines-how-russia-is-preparing-an-energy-winter-for-ukraine-in-2026
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# New Drone Against Power Lines: How Russia is Preparing an 'Energy Winter' for Ukraine in 2026

![Russian soldier with a machine gun on an armored vehicle with the letter Z, preparing to attack Ukrainian infrastructure](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/18/novyi-dron-protiv-lep-kak-rossiya-gotovit-energeticheskuyu-zimu-dlya-ukrainy-v-2026-godu/novyi-dron-protiv-lep-kak-rossiya-gotovit-energeticheskuyu-zimu-dlya-ukrainy-v-2026-godu-1.webp)

### New type of weapon against infrastructure

Ukrainian military intelligence has warned of Russia's preparation for large-scale strikes on civilian infrastructure during the autumn-winter period of 2026. Vadym Skibitsky, Deputy Head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, revealed details of the enemy's new tactics in an interview with RBC-Ukraine. Special attention is being paid to the development of a specialized unmanned aerial vehicle designed for the targeted destruction of high-voltage power line (HVPL) pylons.

According to Skibitsky, the wings of this drone contain a powerful explosive element capable of severing the metal structures of the pylons. This indicates that Russia is shifting from a tactic of mass strikes on cities to the targeted destruction of critical nodes of the energy system, which could lead to prolonged and difficult-to-recover blackouts.