UK Defence Intelligence: Ukraine's energy system withstood Russian attacks in February

Throughout February 2024, Russia attempted to attack regional energy facilities in Ukraine, but despite this, the Ukrainian energy network remains operationally stable.

Source: UK Defence Intelligence review dated 4 March, as reported by European Pravda

Russia conducted a campaign using drones that intentionally targeted Ukrainian infrastructure, including the power grid. Ukrainian air defence forces successfully shot down Russian UAVs multiple times, but the Russian strikes likely caused damage to Ukrainian power plants and substations, the review reads.

These attacks occurred throughout Ukraine, causing damage to regional energy infrastructure, including in Donetsk, Dnipro, and west to Lviv. Russian attacks were most likely carried out using a combination of loitering munitions, surface-to-surface missile systems, and conventional rocket artillery rather than weapons launched from manned aircraft, as was observed in 2022 and 2023.

It is quite probable that Russia sought to target regional energy facilities to disrupt industrial activities in Ukraine, as opposed to their previous tactic of cutting power to household consumers. The intelligence reported that Ukraine's energy system maintains stable network operations despite these attacks.

Background:

• According to UK Defence Intelligence’s previous review, the average daily number of Russian casualties (killed and wounded) in Ukraine in February 2024 was the highest since the full-scale war began.
• Earlier, the intelligence reported that Russia's military-industrial complex is unable to fully meet the needs of its war against Ukraine but will be able to maintain superiority this year.

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