U.K. Defense Ministry: Russia likely beginning ‘more concerted campaign’ on Ukraine's energy infrastructure

The Russian army has begun what is most likely a “more concerted campaign” of airstrikes aimed at destroying Ukraine's energy infrastructure, according to the U.K. Defense Ministry’s latest report.

The ministry noted that on December 7, the Russian Air Force’s heavy bomber fleet launched massive attacks on Kyiv and central Ukraine, firing no less than 16 air-launched missiles.

“Russia has almost certainly been stockpiling these missiles for use in the winter campaign,” says the intelligence report. However, the report noted that damage to infrastructure from this particular attack “appears minimal” as most missiles were shot down.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported Russian attacks on December 7 and 8. According to Ukrainian military data, during the first attack, the Russian army launched seven drones and six surface-to-air guided missiles at Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions. During the second attack, Russian bomber aircraft fired 19 missiles at infrastructure in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk and Kyiv regions. Reportedly, one person was killed.

At the end of November, The New York Times reported that Ukraine's energy system had not fully recovered and appeared more vulnerable than a year ago when the Russian army began bombing critical pieces of infrastructure.