DIU: Russia Considering Strikes on Nuclear Power Plant Substations to Force Ukraine to Surrender

In order to force Ukraine to sign unacceptable surrender terms to end the war, Russia is considering options for attacking strategic targets in the Ukrainian power grid.

This was reported by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU).

According to intelligence sources, this includes, in particular, power transmission substations that supply Ukrainian nuclear power plants.

“As part of its pressure campaign, Moscow also plans to intensify its intimidation of European and Western countries in general in order to curb support for Ukraine, in particular our ability to repel Russia’s terrorist air strikes on critical energy infrastructure facilities,” the intelligence officers said.

By destroying or disabling substations, the Russians seek to disconnect nuclear power units from Ukraine’s integrated power grid, leaving Ukrainian civilians without electricity and heat.

As of mid-January 2026, Russia had conducted reconnaissance of ten critical energy infrastructure facilities in nine regions of Ukraine.

“The Kremlin’s intentions to attack substations in order to destroy Ukraine’s nuclear power generation in such a hybrid manner once again demonstrate the genocidal nature of Russia’s war against Ukraine,” the intelligence officers emphasized.

It is worth noting that Russia attacked substations that power nuclear power plants in all of its previous autumn-winter campaigns of strikes on Ukraine’s energy sector in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.

However, the strikes in 2026 are taking place against the backdrop of very cold weather in Ukraine, while the previous winters of 2022–2025 were relatively warm.

This puts additional pressure on the Ukrainian power grid, which has already been severely damaged by Russian strikes and is currently mainly supplied with electricity thanks to the operation of nuclear power plants controlled by Ukraine.

As stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, there is currently no indication that Russia is prepared to comply with any agreements or end the war.

“Instead, there is sufficient information about the preparation of further Russian strikes on our energy sector and infrastructure, including facilities and networks that serve our nuclear power plants. Each such Russian strike on the energy sector in such harsh winter conditions weakens and undermines the efforts of key states, in particular the United States, to end this war,” he stressed.