Conflict & Security
Russia says it is preparing Ukraine energy strikes
Russia's defence ministry said on Sunday that Russian forces had begun preparing large-scale strikes against Ukraine's energy sector in response to attacks by Kyiv.
“Russian forces have begun preparations for massive strikes against facilities in Ukraine's energy sector in response to the ongoing attacks by the Kyiv regime on civilian infrastructure and on Russia's oil and energy complex,” the ministry said on Telegram.
Moscow repeatedly hit Ukrainian power plants last winter, damaging the country's energy sector and leaving millions of people without power and heat in freezing temperatures.
Both Russia and Ukraine have escalated long-range strikes for several months, hitting infrastructure including warehouses, businesses, oil and port facilities and ships, with civilian casualties rising.
On Sunday, the Russian army claimed it had struck a plant in Kyiv producing asbestos and cement, saying its warehouses were used to store explosives. It also claimed to have struck a manufacturer of drones and munitions.
A Russian strike on an ammunition depot in the suburbs of the Ukrainian capital on Saturday triggered a large explosion and killed at least 37 people.
Ukraine attacked an oil refinery with drones in northwestern Russia, causing a fire, local authorities said.
Update
Russia's defence ministry described the planned strikes as a response to what it called ongoing Ukrainian attacks on civilian infrastructure and Russia's oil and energy complex.
The item adds context that Moscow repeatedly hit Ukrainian power plants last winter, causing major disruption to Ukraine's energy sector.
The Russian army claimed on Sunday to have struck a Kyiv asbestos and cement plant and a drone and munitions manufacturer.
The item says a Russian strike on an ammunition depot near Kyiv on Saturday killed at least 37 people.
Local authorities said Ukraine attacked an oil refinery in northwestern Russia with drones, causing a fire.
Source note: AFP news report published on 30 August 2026 at 07:58:00 UTC.
Update
Russia's defence ministry said the preparations were a response to what it called ongoing Ukrainian attacks on civilian infrastructure and Russia's oil and energy complex.
The ministry made the statement on Telegram.
Source note: AFP news report published on 30 August 2026 at 07:41:08 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The timing, scale and exact targets of any future Russian strikes remain unclear.
The Russian claims about Sunday's targets and the stated reason for the planned strikes are attributed to Russian authorities.
Source
AFP news report published on .