Ukraine prepares for the “Russian winter”: Moscow threatens attacks on cities as Kyiv strikes refineries

Russia has warned that it will intensify strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, while Ukraine insists it will continue attacking refineries and energy facilities on Russian territory.

The escalation in the conflict comes on the eve of winter, as the fighting increasingly focuses on critical infrastructure, roads, bridges and energy hubs.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense announced that the army would expand strikes against military infrastructure, the defense industry and related facilities in Kyiv and other regions of Ukraine.

The announcement came after statements by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said Kyiv would not halt its strikes on Russian oil refineries, despite calls to protect energy infrastructure.

Among the latest developments was an attack on the Northern Bridge over the Dnieper River in Kyiv. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the strike damaged the road surface and trolleybus cables, temporarily suspending traffic.

The strike came after repeated attacks on the Southern Bridge, which had caused major difficulties for vehicles moving through the capital.

The bridges are particularly important for Kyiv, as the Dnieper River divides the city into two parts. The capital, home to nearly three million people, relies on these corridors to transport people, goods and services.

Ukrainian authorities have expressed fears that continued strikes could disrupt the normal functioning of the city, especially if several key points in the transport network are hit at the same time.

According to Reuters, Ukrainian intelligence services claim to have obtained documents indicating a new Russian strategy concerning the targets expected to be attacked in the coming months.

Zelensky has said that Russia’s target list is expanding and includes infrastructure, logistics, roads, schools and hospitals. According to him, the aim is to put pressure on the population and encourage residents to leave the cities.

The greatest concern in Ukraine is linked to a repeat of the situations seen in previous winters, when Russian attacks on energy facilities caused disruptions to electricity, heating and water supplies.

Kyiv has also warned of increased use of faster drones, which could create new difficulties for Ukrainian air-defense systems.

As rhetoric about escalation has intensified, Moscow has urged foreign nationals and members of diplomatic missions to leave Kyiv.

Russia portrays its operations as a response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory and infrastructure, while continuing to deny that it deliberately targets civilians.

Ukraine, meanwhile, accuses Moscow of seeking to disrupt the daily lives of civilians through attacks on infrastructure and to cause a humanitarian crisis during the colder months.

In response to Russian attacks, Ukrainian forces have intensified strikes against oil refineries, energy facilities and infrastructure linked to Russia’s fuel industry.

Kyiv aims in this way to increase the economic cost of the war for Moscow and limit the capabilities supporting the supply of Russian forces.