Can Russia repeat its winter bombing of Ukraine’s electricity grid?
Estimates of its capacity to make missiles vary
LAST WINTER, having struggled to achieve progress on the battlefield, Russia sought to destroy the will of Ukraine’s people by intensifying missile attacks on civilian, as well as military, targets. The effort to break the population’s spirit failed, but strikes on Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure did cause widespread damage. Rolling blackouts closed down parts of the economy; many Ukrainians had to live without power and heat. A fresh round of attacks in September 2023 looked like the start of another campaign to destroy the Ukrainian grid. Ukrainian and Western officials told the New York Times that Russia is now producing missiles at a faster rate than before the war, raising fears that Ukraine will face an even tougher winter this time. What is the state of Russia’s stockpile?
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