The Russian Ministry of Defense publicly stated that the Russian Armed Forces have allegedly received the relevant orders and have begun preparing to carry out massive strikes on Ukraine's energy facilities. This is reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the Russian ministry. The statement emphasizes that preparations are already underway "in accordance with the orders received," which effectively signals a transition from rhetoric to the declared planning phase of attacks on civilian infrastructure.
Moscow's Justification for Escalation
The reason for the planned actions, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, was cited as alleged Ukrainian strikes on Russia's civilian infrastructure and fuel and energy complex. As is customary, Moscow placed responsibility for further escalation on Kyiv, presenting the upcoming attacks as a "response" to strikes on Russian territory. In this way, the Russian side is constructing a narrative of a mirror reaction: strikes on Ukraine's energy sector are framed as a forced measure rather than an independent decision to escalate.
Ukraine's Position: Preparation for the Heating Season
Against the backdrop of these statements, Ukraine is, according to available data, already preparing its power system for the new heating season, strengthening the protection of facilities and accumulating equipment for the regions. Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Denys Shmygal reported that new shelters and engineering structures are being built to protect energy facilities, and that damaged facilities can in some cases be restored in about a week. This indicates that Kyiv perceives the threat of strikes on the energy sector as real and is pre-emptively building the framework for protection and restoration.
Contradictory Data
There are notable inconsistencies between the positions of the parties and the factual picture of events. On the one hand, the Russian Defense Ministry speaks of "preparations" for massive strikes as a new phase, while on the other, available sources record that strikes on Ukrainian ports, vessels, military logistics, substations, and UAV control points are already being carried out on a regular basis. In other words, the declared "preparation" overlaps with attacks already in progress, blurring the chronology and the nature of the actions. Moreover, the Russian version of "Ukrainian strikes on Russian civilian infrastructure" as the cause of escalation is not supported by independent confirmation in the provided materials and stands in contrast to the Ukrainian position, which emphasizes defensive preparation for the heating season. The differences in framing — "retaliatory reaction" versus "cumulative escalation" — remain an open contradiction.
Context of Ongoing Strikes
Additional sources point to the continuing dynamics of the attacks: nighttime strikes on military logistics and port hubs in Odesa Oblast, the disabling of gas stations, substations, and UAV control points, as well as the continuation of strikes on Ukrainian ports and vessels. Taken together, this forms a picture in which the statement about preparing massive strikes on the energy sector is not an isolated event but part of a broader campaign of pressure on infrastructure. For the civilian population, the key issue remains the resilience of the power system ahead of the heating season, for which, according to Ukrainian authorities, it is being prepared with strengthened protective measures.
