The Russian Federation is preparing to launch the most massive air campaign against Ukraine’s critical infrastructure since the full-scale invasion began. According to documents obtained by the authoritative American publication The New York Times, Moscow plans to deploy approximately one thousand weapons, including cruise and ballistic missiles, strike drones, and guided aerial bombs. The stated main objective of this strategic operation is the complete destruction of Ukraine’s energy grid.
Scale and Objectives of the Upcoming Campaign
The plan, presented by the Ukrainian side to European allies in Paris, details the intentions of the Russian military to deliver a series of crushing strikes against key energy generation and distribution facilities. Targeted assets will include not only thermal and hydroelectric power plants, but also critical electrical substations, boiler houses, and water supply and sewage nodes. Western analysts and Ukrainian specialized agencies are particularly alarmed by the fact that potential targets include distribution nodes connecting operating Ukrainian nuclear power plants to the grid, which could potentially lead to their emergency shutdown.
Threat of Humanitarian Crisis in Megacities
The Kremlin views the creation of a massive humanitarian crisis in the country’s largest urban agglomerations, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odesa, as the ultimate beneficiary of this strategy. According to expert estimates, the successful implementation of such a scenario could reduce electricity and heat supplies in these regions by a critical 90% and paralyze sewage systems. Such unprecedented measures are aimed at breaking the will of the population and the leadership of Ukraine ahead of the winter period.
Contradictory Data
While Western media outlets citing secret documents report plans to use up to 1,000 weapons to completely halt three nuclear power plants, official Russian agencies traditionally deny targeted attacks on civilian infrastructure and nuclear facilities, claiming that strikes are carried out exclusively against military targets and energy facilities supporting the Ukrainian military-industrial complex. At the same time, the Ukrainian side records regular intensification of shelling in border and frontline regions, as well as recent local energy supply restrictions in Kyiv and several regions that occurred in late September and early October 2026.
Protective Measures and Ukraine's Winter Readiness
Despite the scale of the threat, Ukraine has been preparing for the heating season for many months. Modern protective structures are being erected over critical nodes and substations to minimize damage from shrapnel and drones. The state and private energy companies have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in repairing damaged capacities and decentralizing the energy grid by installing small generation units. The population is also actively stocking up on autonomous power sources and heating devices, drawing on the experience of last year's severe trials.
