Russia trying to destroy Ukraine's economy; harsh winter warning

Unable to advance on the ground in eastern Ukraine, Russia is focusing more on aerial warfare. Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure are taking place earlier and more intensively this year than in previous years, analysts say.

The United Nations' independent commission of inquiry ruled last week that by deliberately attacking civilian infrastructure, Russia committed war crimes and crimes against humanity.

With new peace talks mediated by the US due next week, Russian president Vladimir Putin is intensifying the attacks further. The attacks are aimed at destroying Ukraine's economy itself, said John Lough, an official at a London think tank.

More than 2,700 Ukrainian civilians have been killed in Russian attacks so far in 2026, the highest figure since the war's first months. Russian attacks numbered 3,650 in January and rose to 5,532 in October.

Black Sea exports, Danube river ports, factories, railways and Ukraine's steel industry are now targets. This winter will not be ordinary; a humanitarian situation worse than last year will set in earlier, warned Cristian Vlas, a researcher at a conflict monitoring organisation.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has also increased its attacks on Russia's weapons manufacturing plants, military air bases and radar infrastructure; it carried out 2,302 attacks in October alone, the Ukrainian defence ministry said.