Ukrainian intelligence intercepts Russian plan to destroy energy and utility infrastructure
Ukrainian intelligence has intercepted Russian documents describing possible strike targets in the energy and utility sectors, The Guardian reports. Russia keeps attacking despite the energy truce declared by US President Donald Trump.
Russia is continuing systematic attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, particularly in Kyiv, even though US President Donald Trump unilaterally declared an energy truce between Moscow and Kyiv last week. The British newspaper The Guardian reports that Ukrainian intelligence has intercepted Russian documents that may reveal the aims of these strikes: punishing the population and forcing the country to capitulate.
What the documents say
According to the newspaper, the secret plan sets out to destroy electricity generation, heating, water supply and sewage systems so that life in Ukrainian cities becomes unbearable. The document states that destroying power generation capacity alone would cause a "significant deterioration in the population's quality of life". Attacks on key water, sewage and heating facilities would, it says, create a "large-scale crisis of municipal infrastructure".
The plan also specifies the quantity of weapons needed to destroy critical infrastructure. It names Geran-4 and Geran-5 jet-powered drones, as well as hypersonic and cruise missiles. Possible targets include thermal power plants, substations and water pumping stations.
Comments from Ukrainian officials
Ukraine's Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said last month that there are two large documents with tables showing the number of weapons required to destroy each facility. He listed weapon types ranging from ballistic missiles to jet-powered and conventional drones, and said: "We understand how they will act."
Some details of the military assessment were withheld from the publication at the request of Ukraine's Energy Ministry, because they could help Russia plan further strikes.
Several European officials who have seen the document told the paper that it was most likely prepared by analytical units close to Russian military structures or intelligence services. In their words, copies of the document circulated in Ukraine in previous years as well, but this year Russia appears to have begun putting the plans into practice.
