Russia shifts to small-scale strikes on Ukraine's power grid

Russia has changed its tactics in striking Ukraine's energy system, now causing numerous small damages to power infrastructure instead of targeting large facilities, according to First Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal. The enemy's strategy remains to deprive Ukraine of electricity, water, and heating. Shmyhal stated that Russian forces are using drones with cumulative charges to damage power grids, particularly targeting transmission lines and supports. While individual repairs take little time, their sheer volume is affecting cities, especially Kyiv, which faces daily and nightly attacks. Large facilities remain protected from such strikes. Since mid-April 2026, Ukraine's energy system operated with virtually no consumer restrictions, but they returned in October in regions Russia seeks to isolate by damaging transmission infrastructure. Some areas have introduced emergency outages due to equipment damage and voltage drops, which in Kyiv disrupted water supply operations and halted electric transport.