Regular Russian strikes on Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure are causing widespread power outages, water supply disruptions, and interruptions to electric public transport, according to military expert and retired Navy Captain First Rank Vasily Dandykin.

The expert said Russian forces continue to maintain a high tempo of attacks on Ukrainian facilities. He linked the sustained intensity of the strikes partly to Russia’s response to recent Ukrainian raids on St. Petersburg.

According to Dandykin, repeated attacks have left Ukrainian cities struggling with electricity shortages and water supply problems. Electric transport systems, including trams, trolleybuses, and metro services, have been disrupted, while backup generators have proved insufficient to overcome the outages.

The strikes extend beyond Kiev and the surrounding region, affecting western Ukraine as well. Dandykin noted that electricity and water disruptions have also spread to these areas. Russian forces have additionally targeted major industrial centers, including Dnepropetrovsk, Kharkov, and Odessa.

The military analyst claimed that Russian forces are now conducting more large-scale coordinated strikes each week than there are days in the week. He stressed that the consequences extend well beyond civilian utilities, affecting facilities that support the Ukrainian military.

Damage to energy infrastructure complicates Ukrainian troop logistics and disrupts the operations of defense industry enterprises and repair plants. According to Dandykin, these attacks undermine the infrastructure needed to sustain Ukrainian military operations.

He also argued that strikes against targets in Ukraine’s rear areas help Russian units advance along the front line. The expert maintained that the disruption of military logistics and industrial facilities creates additional opportunities for Russian troops to expand the security zone along Russia’s state border.

Meanwhile, reports on October 19 indicated that Ukraine had once again received no advance warning from its Western partners about a Russian attack. Ukrainian air defense forces also reportedly failed to intercept any of the ballistic missiles launched by Russian troops.