Russia Is Planning Its Most Powerful Blow Yet to Try to Freeze Ukraine

Two people familiar with his presentation said he called it an intercepted Russian plan to collapse the energy system through methodical attacks.[1]The Times reports that the document says Russia intends to force Ukraine's three operating nuclear plants to shut down[1] by striking the switchyards that connect them to the grid. According to the same report, Moscow will also target Ukraine's water system, including pumping stations and wastewater treatment facilities[1].Ukrainian outlet UNN, citing the Times, reports that Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa could lose up to 90% of their electricity and heat supplies.[2]France 24 reports that Russia launched its heaviest combined assault on Ukraine's energy infrastructure in months on Wednesday, killing seven people[3]. Ukrainian officials told the Times that the attack marked the opening salvo of a new campaign to plunge Ukrainian cities into cold and darkness[1].Al Jazeera reports that on September 30, Russia also tested a drone with a cumulative cutting warhead "specifically designed to destroy high-voltage pylons"[4], according to Ukrainian defence ministry adviser Serhii Beskrestnov.Al Jazeera also reports that Russia suffered its highest losses of 2026 in September, when 46,230 of its soldiers were killed or wounded, according to the Ukrainian military[5]. The outlet notes that it cannot verify casualty claims from either side.[4]Olena Pavlenko of the DiXi Group think tank told the Times that getting through another winter would be like "running a marathon with only one lung"[1].