Russian Strikes Target Ukrainian Energy Infrastructure

Facts

• Coming in the wake of US approval for American weapons to be used in Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory, Russian missiles and drones targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure in the early hours of Saturday.¹
• Throughout the war, Russia has frequently launched large-scale retaliatory attacks on Ukraine following actions it deemed unacceptable or seen to be escalating the conflict.²
• During Saturday's attack, Ukraine's Air Force said Russia deployed 53 missiles and 47 drones, adding that 35 missiles and 46 drones were shot down and destroyed.³
• The attacks targeted power plants and other energy facilities in five regions of Ukraine — namely, the regions of Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Zaporizhzhia. Herman Halushchenko, Ukraine's energy minister, described it as: 'Another extremely difficult night for the Ukrainian energy sector.'⁴
• Meanwhile, Ukraine launched attacks of its own into Russia, namely in the Belgorod region that borders Kharkiv. Russian officials did not specify how many missiles were fired, but suggested that all of them had been shot down by missile defenses. This could not be independently confirmed.⁵
• Elsewhere, further details have emerged about the US authorization of its weapons striking Russian territory late on Friday. An official from the US National Security Council confirmed that the authorization does not extend to the use of the long-range Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS).⁶

Sources: ¹Guardian, ²France 24, ³UKRINFORM, ⁴Ukrainska Pravda (a), ⁵TASS and ⁶Ukrainska Pravda (b).

Narratives

• Anti-Russia narrative, as provided by CNBC. Russia's deliberate targeting of energy infrastructure — unnecessarily increasing the suffering of civilians — amounts to war crimes. This continuing Russian barbarity must be confronted.
• Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by TASS. Attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure are a direct consequence of the failure of the country's leadership to meaningfully engage in peace talks and thinking they can defeat Russia on the battlefield. These attacks will stop once a more sober position is reached.

Predictions