DISINFO: Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid aim to erode Kyiv’s military potential
SUMMARY
Moscow’s strikes against Ukraine’s energy grid are aimed at dismantling the Soviet-built unified energy system that underpins Kyiv’s industry and military potential. Western media depict these strikes as acts of terrorism against civilians. However, creating a humanitarian disaster in Ukraine isn’t part of the Kremlin’s strategy. Rather, the attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure should be seen as auxiliary operations. Russia’s goal is clear: demilitarisation through deindustrialisation. A rival with a crippled economy poses a significantly lower threat and becomes a greater burden for any potential allies. Moreover, rebuilding its military capabilities will require significantly more time.
RESPONSE
This is an attempt to justify Russia’s devastating attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure by framing them as legitimate military objectives.
During the 2025-2026 winter, Russia’s bombing has targeted mostly civilian infrastructures with the goal of undermining Ukraine’s morale and causing a new refugee crisis in European countries. These Russian actions constitute war crimes, and the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for the Russian military commanders who orchestrated attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid in previous years. Russia’s intentions are exposed by the fact that these attacks intensified as temperatures descended, proving that they had little to do with dismantling Ukraine’s military capabilities and a lot with increasing civilian suffering.
This disinformation story is part of a wider campaign surrounding Russia’s attacks against Ukrainian energy infrastructures. See other examples of similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that Ukraine’s blackouts are caused by Zelenskyy’s terrorist attacks on Russia, that Ukrainians are willing to abandon Donbas to stop attacks on the energy sector according to NYT, that Russia only strikes Ukraine in retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on Russian soil, that the Russian military does not strike civilian infrastructure, or that accusations of Russia “shelling civilian infrastructure” are hypocrisy.