The war in Ukraine has entered a new and increasingly volatile phase as both sides intensify attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure, raising fears of a devastating winter ahead.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Oct. 12 that Russian forces launched more than 3,100 drones, around 1,360 glide bombs, and 92 missiles of various types over the past week alone — one of the heaviest barrages in recent months. The attacks, he said, are part of Moscow’s renewed strategy to cripple Ukraine’s power grid before winter.

“Russia is deliberately targeting our energy system once again,” Zelensky said in his nightly address. “They want to leave millions without light or heat — but they will not succeed.”

The latest wave of missile and drone strikes, carried out between Oct. 8 and 11, hit multiple regions, including Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts. Civilian infrastructure was damaged, leading to several casualties and widespread power outages that affected tens of thousands of households.

According to Ukrainian officials, energy and gas facilities in the country’s central and eastern regions were among the main targets, echoing the pattern of Russia’s previous winter campaigns in 2022 and 2023, when coordinated airstrikes severely damaged Ukraine’s power grid.

Ukraine has not remained passive. Earlier this week, a Ukrainian drone strike on the Russian city of Belgorod left nearly 40,000 residents without electricity after damaging local energy facilities. Kyiv has also expanded its campaign against Russian oil infrastructure.

Since August 2025, Ukrainian forces have reportedly targeted at least 16 of Russia’s 38 oil refineries, according to a Financial Times report. These attacks have disrupted production and exports, pushing Russian diesel shipments to their lowest levels since 2020.

Zelensky earlier warned that if Moscow continues to inflict blackouts on Ukraine, “Russian citizens will experience the same consequences.” His statement signaled a more assertive Ukrainian strategy aimed at deterring Russian aggression by hitting key economic and energy targets across the border.

The escalation comes at a time when global attention is increasingly shifting to the Middle East, following the announcement of a U.S.-brokered peace plan between Israel and Hamas. Zelensky cautioned Western allies against allowing this shift in focus to weaken support for Ukraine.

“That is precisely why no weakening of pressure can be allowed,” the Ukrainian leader stressed. “Sanctions, tariffs, and joint actions against the buyers of Russian oil — those who finance this war — must all remain on the table.”

In response to the renewed Russian attacks, Ukraine’s energy operator, Ukrenergo, has begun emergency repair work on damaged facilities, while international partners are reportedly preparing new aid packages focused on air defense and power infrastructure protection.

Since February 2022, Russia’s full-scale invasion has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians and displaced millions. According to recent UN figures, over 14 million Ukrainians have been forced from their homes, while critical infrastructure — including hospitals, schools, and power stations — continues to be targeted.

As both Kyiv and Moscow increase retaliatory strikes, analysts warn that the winter of 2025–2026 could become one of the harshest of the war. With temperatures expected to plummet in the coming weeks, energy security is now emerging as a key front line — not only in the battlefield but also in the endurance of both nations’ civilian populations. (ILKHA)