War correspondent Aleksandr Kots said that Russian forces have shifted to what he described as a more effective approach by launching systematic strikes on Ukraine’s power grid.

According to Kots, earlier attacks on substations and fuel-energy facilities did not produce decisive results because a significant share of Ukraine’s electricity is generated by nuclear power plants. He stressed that he was not referring to strikes on nuclear power stations themselves. Instead, he said, a different method has been identified — targeting the infrastructure through which electricity from nuclear plants is transmitted into the grid.

Kots noted that this approach becomes particularly significant with the onset of colder weather. He pointed to statements by Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy indicating a reduction in electricity generation following recent strikes, which he described as evidence of the effectiveness of the chosen tactic. In his view, it is not necessary to strike nuclear power plants directly to reduce output; disrupting key transmission infrastructure is sufficient.

As an example, Kots cited strikes on substations linked to the Rivne and Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plants, after which, he said, Ukraine’s power system experienced a sharp decline. He also mentioned the halt of operations at the Zaporizhstal steel plant, noting that backup generators proved insufficient to sustain a facility of that scale. According to Kots, achieving such outcomes is the primary objective of the strikes.