ISW: Russia is trying to split Ukraine's energy grid in half and create "energy islands"

Russia’s intensified campaign of long-range strikes targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure during the autumn of 2025 and winter of 2025-2026 has significantly deteriorated the state of Ukraine’s power grid, disproportionately affecting the Ukrainian civilian population. This is stated in a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), as reported by UNN.

DetailsAnalysts suggest that Russia intends to degrade Ukraine’s electricity generation capacity and its ability to provide heat to Ukrainians in the midst of winter, particularly by attempting to split Ukraine’s energy grid in half and create energy islands, cut off from power generation, supply, and transmission systems.

Russia began to intensify its strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during the autumn of 2025 and winter of 2025-2026 with the aim of causing large-scale disruptions in the Ukrainian energy system, which … is an attempt by Russia to degrade Ukraine’s energy security and industrial potential, as well as to demoralize the Ukrainian population

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They emphasize that Russia’s continued destructive strike campaign against Ukrainian energy infrastructure underscores Ukraine’s urgent need for additional air defense systems and ammunition for a comprehensive and all-encompassing air defense system.

Russia’s increasingly large strike packages highlight the critical importance of Western aid in strengthening Ukraine’s air defense capabilities, particularly with the use of American Patriot air defense systems, which can effectively counter the threat of Russian ballistic missiles

They indicate that Ukraine also needs partner support to maintain a diversified air defense system, consisting not only of high-performance Patriot systems, but also of interceptor drones, well-equipped mobile fire groups, and fighter jets.

RecallAs a result of Russian strikes on Ukraine on Saturday, 170 objects were damaged, including residential buildings and infrastructure.

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