Russia targets Ukraine's power grid to trigger humanitarian crisis, ISW says

Russia has launched a systematic winter strike campaign against Ukraine's critical infrastructure for 2026-2027, aiming to trigger a humanitarian crisis, according to the Institute for the Study of War. The new tactic targets key power grid nodes rather than using chaotic attacks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported emergency blackouts in Kyiv and eight regions following recent strikes, with over 20 attacks on energy systems in a single day. Repeated Russian assaults are complicating repair efforts, and nuclear plants have been forced to reduce generation capacity. The campaign mirrors last winter's attacks, which damaged or destroyed up to 80% of Ukraine's electricity generation. Zelensky stated strikes and restoration work continue around the clock.