By attacking energy facilities, Russia trying to degrade Ukraine’s defense industry - ISW
That’s according to a report by the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) think tank, reports Ukrinform.
"Intensified Russian strikes in winter 2023-2024 reportedly heavily targeted Ukrainian defense industrial base (DIB) enterprises, and the Russian strikes on energy infrastructure in early Spring 2024 likely aim to collapse the energy grid in part to stall Ukrainian efforts to rapidly expand its DIB," analysts wrote.
ISW emphasizes that Russian forces failed to collapse the Ukrainian energy grid on March 22 but may aim to continue intensified strikes on energy infrastructure in subsequent strike series, "especially to capitalize on continued delays in Western security assistance that are reportedly expected to significantly constrain Ukraine‘s air defense umbrella".
Russian attacks could also support Russia's efforts to destabilize Ukraine, as analysts say the Kremlin seeks to undermine domestic and international confidence in the Ukrainian government.
"Ukraine’s Southern Operational Command warned on March 22 that Russia is preparing information operations aiming to falsely portray Ukraine as without power," ISW noted.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, on March 22, Russia launched a combined missile and drone barrage on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, the largest since year-start. Generation facilities were affected throughout the country. Among critical infrastructure facilities damaged by the strike is the Dnipro HPP in Zaporizhzhia.
