German Media: Putin Aims to Destroy Kyiv's Energy Infrastructure Before Winter
On July 13, Germany's Bild newspaper reported that Russian President Putin intends to destroy Kyiv's energy infrastructure before winter sets in, leaving residents without electricity or heating in the cold. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated that recent Russian ballistic missile attacks have reached their highest intensity since the war began, with nearly all missiles hitting their targets and resulting in dozens of deaths.
The article analyzes that Russia's progress on the eastern front has been sluggish, while Ukraine has frequently used drones to strike targets deep within Russian territory—such as oil depots and refineries—placing Putin in a difficult position. Missile terror attacks are seen as his "last resort." Experts predict that during the autumn and winter seasons, Russia will intensify strikes on civilian facilities, aiming to replicate—or even exceed—the large-scale power and heating outages experienced last winter.
Military expert Claudia Mäger believes that Ukraine’s strikes into Russian territory have already caused fuel shortages across multiple regions of Russia, marking the first time that "time is on Ukraine’s side." The key now lies in whether Ukrainian President Zelenskyy can convince U.S. President Trump—someone accustomed to backing the winner—to support Ukraine at this critical moment.
However, the article cites sources close to Putin, stating that Ukrainian drone attacks have instead strengthened the Kremlin’s resolve to continue fighting and potentially escalate the conflict further. Larger-scale escalation may be expected over the coming months.
The article emphasizes that although the attacks are brutal and often carried out at night or in the early hours of the morning, journalists have observed no sign of surrender among Ukrainians. On the contrary, people have become more optimistic than they were six months ago due to recent successes achieved inside Russia. While they clearly understand that frontline victories come at the cost of damaged civilian infrastructure and civilian casualties, their determination to resist remains unshaken.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1870637045724172/
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