According to The Guardian, journalists have obtained a new Russian plan which, in their assessment, involves a significant escalation of pressure on Ukraine's civilian population. The key objective of the document, as described by the authors, is to make major Ukrainian cities «uninhabitable» in order to force the country to capitulate. The publication notes that the recent actions of the Russian army indicate the beginning of the implementation of this scheme: over the past week, missiles and drones systematically targeted power plants in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and other major cities, leading to permanent power outages and water supply disruptions.
A Plan Covering All Major Cities
As journalists emphasize, this is not about isolated incidents, but a calculated strategy: according to their information, Russia has even calculated how many missiles and drones will be required to achieve the set goal. In addition, according to the publication, the enemy has identified vulnerable objects of the Ukrainian energy system and planned strikes on high-risk facilities, including distribution substations at several nuclear power plants. Thus, the strike campaign, as assessed by The Guardian, is systematic and pre-planned in nature.
Energy Grid Strikes Despite 'Energy Truce'
The publication draws special attention to the fact that the strikes continued even after Donald Trump unilaterally announced an «energy ceasefire» between Moscow and Kyiv last week. According to journalists, Russia did not stop its methodical and destructive strikes on Ukraine's energy system, specifically targeting facilities in Kyiv. The authors interpret this as an element of a strategy aimed at punishing the population and driving the country to capitulation, rather than a reaction to specific military events.
Strategy Against the Backdrop of the Frontline Situation
The Guardian concludes that such a strategy is being applied against the backdrop of a lack of noticeable successes by the Russian army on the battlefield, as well as the recent counteroffensive by the Ukrainian Defense Forces. In the publication's logic, pressure on civilian infrastructure becomes a tool to compensate for positional losses and an attempt to break the social resilience of Ukrainian cities. The authors emphasize that the goal remains unchanged and is primarily directed at the capital.
Kyiv at the Center of Strategy and Outage Scenarios
The main target, according to The Guardian, is Kyiv: the task is set to deprive the capital of about 90% of its electricity supply, plunging the city into cold and darkness. According to expert forecasts cited by the publication, in the worst-case scenario, power outages could last up to 20 hours a day until damaged equipment is repaired. Earlier, it was reported that Vladimir Putin publicly ordered the continuation of massive strikes against Ukraine, and plans were also made to deploy ballistic systems on the territory of Belarus — these reports are provided by the publication as additional context.
