Russia Might Try to Freeze Ukrainians This Winter: A Reported Plan Includes 1000-Weapon Assault on Power Grid

Russia is reportedly preparing its most ambitious campaign yet to cripple Ukraine's power, heating and water systems, with an alleged plan envisioning up to 1,000 missiles, drones and bombs aimed at pushing the country's already battered infrastructure toward complete collapse.

The strategy was detailed in a Russian-language document obtained by The New York Times and described by Ukrainian Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal to European partners during a recent meeting in Paris. The outlet said it could not independently authenticate the August-dated document, leaving uncertainty over whether Moscow will carry out the plan as described.

Russia launched its heaviest combined assault on Ukrainian energy infrastructure in months on Wednesday, hitting power facilities around Kyiv and other regions and forcing emergency electricity cuts in the capital for the first time since spring.

Ukrainian officials said seven people were killed. Ukraine's air force said defenses intercepted 254 of 285 Russian drones deployed through early evening, including 174 faster, high-flying jet-powered drones that are more difficult to stop.

The reported Russian plan goes considerably further. According to the report, it outlines three stages intended to dismantle Ukraine's electricity system systematically. The first would target substations near Ukraine's western borders that allow the country to import electricity from Europe. A second phase would strike hydroelectric power plants.

The third is attacks on electrical switchyards connecting Ukraine's three operating nuclear power plants to the national grid. Those nuclear facilities form the backbone of Ukraine's electricity supply.

Rather than directly attacking the reactors, the reported strategy would target nearby infrastructure in an effort to force the plants offline. The document reportedly envisions eliminating nearly 15 gigawatts of generating capacity, roughly equivalent to Ukraine's available capacity at the end of the summer.

Water infrastructure could also become a major target. The reported plan includes attacks on pumping stations and wastewater treatment facilities using ballistic missiles and glide bombs, potentially disrupting electricity, heating, drinking water and sewage services simultaneously. Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa are reportedly identified as priority targets, with the document describing efforts to cut electricity and heating supplies by as much as 90%.

The report comes as Moscow openly acknowledges retaliating against Ukraine's campaign against Russian energy infrastructure. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries had "partially achieved" their objectives and said Moscow was responding in kind.

Ukraine has spent hundreds of millions of dollars trying to prevent another energy crisis. Authorities have repaired damaged plants and substations, erected protective structures around critical equipment and installed smaller gas-powered generation systems that are more difficult to destroy in a single attack.

But years of bombardment have left the grid increasingly fragile. Last winter, Ukraine could generate only about 11 gigawatts of electricity at one point while needing approximately 18 gigawatts, as Russian attacks and bitter temperatures strained the system. Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa were among the areas facing the most serious shortages.