Despite many attacks, Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has not completely collapsed. Now the Kremlin is apparently setting new goals.
For months, Russia has bombarded Ukrainian power plants and energy facilities with rockets, kamikaze drones and cruise missiles – in vain. The country’s critical infrastructure has not collapsed in the long term, nor has Ukrainian morale. Now the Kremlin has apparently realized that the attacks on civilian facilities are futile – and has adjusted its tactics.
“Let’s take the last attacks by unmanned aerial vehicles on the night of March 17-18 and on the night of March 21-22. They hit fuel and lubricant bases in Novomoskovsk and Zhitomir, and there were also hits in the Yavoriv district ” said Vadim Skibitsky, deputy head of the Ukrainian military intelligence service GUR. “What were the main goals? The logistics system of our troops and the concentration of our equipment,” explains Skibitsky in an interview with the broadcaster “RBC”.
Russia hardly has any missiles anymore
For Skibitsky, the recent Russian attacks on primarily military targets are an indication of the changed tactics of the Russians. With the onset of spring, attacks on thermal power plants, for example, were no longer of interest to Moscow, according to Skibitsky. In addition, Kiev is preparing counter-offensives in these weeks, which should start in April or May. “That’s why the Russians will adjust their targets and, above all, target military facilities, troop concentrations and the logistics of our groups,” Skibitsky believes.
However, the secret service agent does not expect the attacks on civilian targets to end completely: “There will continue to be hits on critical infrastructure, such as power plants, oil refineries and companies in the military-industrial complex,” says Skibitsky. “We analyze which objects the Russian Federation is reconnaissing. These include bridges over the Dnipro, airfields and airports, and supply routes for weapons and military equipment from the West.”
However, Russia has used up about 15 percent of its reserves of cruise missiles, says Skibitsky. Of some types of rockets, even less than ten percent are now available. According to Skibitsky, Russia can no longer fire more than 90 to 110 precise cruise missiles in an attack: “That’s why they started using different types of missiles in combination with drones and balloons to trick our air defense systems. But we’re also gathering our forces and strengthening our defensive measures .”
