Russia Shortens Intervals Between Massive Strikes: Ukraine’s Power Grid Under Pressure

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On the night of February 26, just four days after the previous massive raid, Ukraine was subjected to a new combined air attack. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russian forces used a wide range of weapons: two Zircon anti-ship missiles, 11 Iskander-M and S-400 ballistic missiles, 24 Kh-101 cruise missiles, two Kh-69 guided air-launched missiles, and 420 strike drones.

The main strike again targeted the country’s energy system. In the Kyiv region, the key 750 kV Kyivska substation was attacked again. It was previously considered well-protected and had withstood previous raids, but this time it was hit by a combination of Zircon, Kh-101, Iskander missiles, and drones.

In the Chernihiv region, the 330 kV Chernihivska substation was struck by two Kh-22/32 missiles. In the Odesa region, the 34th major substation was attacked; the destruction is significant, and according to DTEK, there are practically no undamaged nodal energy facilities left in the region. In Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, power outages began after the strikes, and water is being supplied on a schedule.

Strikes were also carried out on other types of infrastructure. In the Poltava region, drones destroyed a gas hub and part of a nodal pipeline between the Kharkiv and Sumy mainlines. Previously, the Mryn Production Department for Underground Gas Storage in the Chernihiv region, as well as the Mayaky-Palanka logistics hub in the Odesa region, sustained serious damage. The attacks on the gas system are linked to an attempt to disrupt the deployment of small gas generators, which Ukraine is trying to use to compensate for losses in centralized generation.

In the Kharkiv region, the strike hit the Barvinkove railway station, which was struck by two missiles and several drones. In Zaporizhzhia, Geran drones and Iskander missiles destroyed a warehouse complex of the Epicenter shopping center, which, according to Russian sources, was used in the interests of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; the fire at the site has been ongoing for several hours, accompanied by detonations.

The activity of Ukrainian drones in response was extremely weak. According to Russian air defense systems, 17 fixed-wing drones were shot down overnight, and another 77 the day before, totaling 94 in 24 hours. An attack on Crimea ended with 27 drones destroyed. The only notable incident on Russian territory was a raid on Tula, where about ten explosions occurred in the southern part of the city, the Kosaya Gora district, and the Shchyokino district.

Russia is capable of conducting combat operations in Ukraine throughout 2026, despite economic pressure and personnel challenges, concludes The Guardian, citing the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). In 2025, Moscow allocated at least $186 billion for defense — 7.3% of its GDP, twice the level of the US and three times that of the UK — which doubled real spending since 2021 and ensured missile and drone stockpiles. IISS Director Bastian Giegerich notes the absence of signs of a weakening in the Russian campaign, including strikes on infrastructure, while economist Fenella McGerty predicts a possible slowdown in spending growth, but against the backdrop of accumulated potential. The question is whether Ukraine can withstand an energy collapse, a shortage of funding, weapons, and personnel — even with the support of European partners seeking to prolong the conflict.

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