Vladimir Putin stated that the Russian armed forces have been instructed to prepare and carry out massive strikes on Ukraine's energy facilities. According to RBC-Ukraine, he said this in a speech following the SCO summit in Kyrgyzstan. In the words of the Russian leader, this decision was made in response to what he describes as ongoing attacks by Kyiv on Russia's "civilian infrastructure and fuel and energy complex," primarily on oil refineries.

Instruction after the SCO summit

Putin reported that on September 1 he was briefed on attempts by a large number of Ukrainian drones to break through the air defense systems of Moscow and Saint Petersburg with the aim of hitting three oil refineries. Citing this information, he stated that "bearing all of this in mind," Russian military personnel have been instructed to prepare and carry out massive strikes on Ukraine's energy facilities, warning that Kyiv "will get a response." Earlier, the Russian Ministry of Defense had also publicly announced the preparation of such strikes, describing them as a response to attacks on Russia's fuel and energy complex.

Moscow's justification and the moratorium issue

In the Russian narrative, strikes on Ukraine's energy sector are presented as a mirror response to attacks on Russian refineries and infrastructure. Against this backdrop, the Russian Foreign Ministry had earlier claimed that Ukraine had "wiped its feet" on the US-promoted moratorium on strikes on energy facilities, that is, it cited Kyiv's violation of agreements on a temporary cessation of such attacks. Thus, Moscow justifies the escalation precisely by Ukraine's breach of previously discussed restrictions, while the Kyiv side does not confirm the fact of agreeing to such a moratorium in the described form.

Kyiv's reaction and preparations for winter

In Ukraine, these statements were met at the level of the relevant ministry: Energy Minister Denys Shmygal stated that the country is preparing its power system for a new winter amid constant Russian strikes. According to him, the protection of energy facilities is being strengthened and the necessary equipment is being stockpiled for the regions. This confirms that Kyiv's authorities regard the risk of massive attacks on energy infrastructure as a persistent scenario for the upcoming heating season.

Strike tactics and media effect

Analysts link the current tactics to the broader context of hostilities: according to experts, Russia has been massively attacking Kyiv and the Kyiv region for several days in a row, increasingly employing reactive drones. Anton Zemnianyi, Senior Analyst at the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, suggests that such tactics may continue at least until the Russian State Duma elections, scheduled for September 18–20, with the aim of creating a media effect of "victory" ahead of the vote.

Contradictory data

The provided materials contain several inconsistencies that are important to take into account. First, the original text mentions an attack "on Tuesday, September 2" as already having taken place ("for the sixth day in a row"), which chronologically goes beyond the current date of September 1, 2026, and requires editorial clarification. Second, the parties' versions differ on the moratorium issue: Moscow claims that Kyiv violated the US-promoted moratorium on strikes on energy facilities, whereas the Ukrainian side, in the provided sources, offers no confirmation of agreeing to such restrictions. Third, the context of a 30-day cessation of strikes on energy facilities, which featured in the outcomes of the 2025 negotiations, does not match the current rhetoric about massive strikes, indicating a shift in positions over the intervening period.