Ukraine much better prepared for energy attacks than last winter

What Happened

Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said on 12 September at the annual Yalta European Strategy meeting in Kyiv, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine, that Ukraine is significantly better prepared for Russian attacks on its energy sector than last winter. Koretskyi stated that Russian strikes and resulting destruction have multiplied several times over the past two months, placing the economy in an extremely difficult state, but that the government has drawn up Plan B and Plan C, including decentralised means of delivering essential services to regions, cities and oblasts. He characterised Russia's view of the current period and coming winter as a 'blitzkrieg' and said Ukraine must prepare for a long war, including the possibility that a ceasefire could be broken.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

Ukraine's energy infrastructure has been a primary Russian target during the invasion, and repeated strikes have caused severe damage to power generation and distribution, affecting civilian life and the wartime economy. Koretskyi's assessment signals that Kyiv anticipates a renewed winter energy offensive and is prioritising decentralised service delivery and contingency planning to maintain essential services, which is central to Ukraine's ability to sustain defence and social stability through the winter.

Watch For

Monitor Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure as the winter heating season approaches, any rollout of Ukraine's Plan B and Plan C for decentralised essential services, and further statements from Koretskyi or the Ministry of Energy on grid resilience, generation capacity, and whether partner support is translated into additional air defence or repair equipment.