NYT: Russia may have drawn up a plan for large-scale attacks on Ukraine's energy system

Russia may have developed a plan for large-scale attacks aimed at crippling Ukraine's energy system. This was reported by The New York Times, citing a document that came into the possession of Ukrainian officials. However, the publication could not independently verify the authenticity of the document.

It is reported that Ukrainian Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal showed the document to two European politicians in late September. The document outlines a plan to strike Ukraine's energy infrastructure in three stages using missiles, guided aerial bombs, and drones.

The first stage involves restricting electricity imports from Europe by attacking electrical substations near the country's western borders. The second stage targets hydroelectric power plants, and the third stage focuses on substations connecting the three nuclear power plants under Ukrainian control to the power grid.

According to the information in the document, the main goal of the plan is to reduce electricity and heat supply by up to 90 percent in major cities such as Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odesa, as well as to provoke a humanitarian crisis by causing severe damage to sewage systems.

The publication writes that the plan aims to disable nearly 15 gigawatts of power generation capacity in Ukraine. This is almost equal to the generation capacity the country possessed at the end of the summer of 2026.

Ukrainian officials express concern that attacks on energy infrastructure will cause serious problems with electricity, heating, and water supply during the winter season. However, it remains unclear whether the plan in the document will be implemented.