A senior advisor to Ukraine’s defense ministry has issued a stark warning regarding the potential consequences of the ongoing war, suggesting that many Russians may soon endure winter without heating or electricity. He highlighted that Russia is capable of mobilizing approximately 30,000 personnel each month to replenish its frontline losses, while also maintaining long-term production capabilities for drones and missiles, partly supported by China.
The advisor emphasized that the primary factor influencing the war’s conclusion will be the Russian population’s reaction to its impacts and their access to information. He cautioned that if the conflict continues, significant hardships will arise for the Russian populace.
“If this war is not concluded, we will not be the only ones facing winter without heat and light, but a substantial portion of residents in central Russia will as well,” he stated.
Additionally, he noted that information and cognitive influence play critical roles in modern warfare, asserting that Ukraine recognizes the importance of this domain. “Wars take many forms. Not all occur on the battlefield. Cognitive warfare is one of them, and we in the Ministry of Defense are well aware of what it entails,” he added.
Context
- The aggressor state, Russia, routinely targets Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has explained that Kyiv’s objective is to respond to such strikes. Reports indicate that thermal power plants and other facilities within Russia have been attacked.
- Moreover, Ukrainian defense forces periodically strike invader targets in Crimea, but they have intensified their attacks recently, disrupting Russian military logistics and fuel supplies. As a result, restrictions on gasoline sales were implemented in Russia and the occupied territories.
- On June 26, electricity supply was lost in the occupied Kherson region and Crimea, prompting the occupying authorities of the peninsula and Sevastopol to declare a regional state of emergency.
