Russian security chief downplays impact of Ukrainian drone attacks on energy sites

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) – Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoygu said on Tuesday that Ukrainian drone attacks have not inflicted serious harm on the country’s energy infrastructure, insisting that any damage is being repaired swiftly.

“There is some damage, but it is being repaired fairly quickly, and it certainly cannot cause serious harm or destabilize the situation in the country regarding fuel, the harvesting campaign, or the heating season,” Shoygu told reporters in Nizhny Novgorod, according to the Russian state-run Tass news agency.

He claimed that Ukraine’s goal is to “create shortages, sow panic, and disrupt key sectors,” but stressed that Russia has sufficient reserves to prevent disruptions.

Both Russia and Ukraine have intensified strikes on energy infrastructure in recent months.

Kyiv has launched long-range drone attacks on oil refineries and power plants inside Russia, while Moscow continues large-scale missile and drone assaults on Ukraine’s grid.

Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Moscow wants to “turn cold weather into a weapon” by targeting Ukraine’s energy system and civilian infrastructure. “They want Ukraine to enter winter in blackout,” he said, citing drone and missile strikes on Kharkiv, Sumy, and Donetsk.