Vladimir Putin is likely to continue the Ukraine war into the winter, hoping to weaken western support for Kyiv and “freeze Europe into surrender,” according to a report from the Institute for the Study of War.
The remarks from the Washington-based think tank come as some 270,000 homes in Kyiv are without electricity and 40 per cent are without water following “one of the most massive shellings” by Russia on Ukrainian territory.
Moscow launched vicious attacks on critical infrastructure in at least six Ukrainian regions on Monday and froze its participation in a Black Sea grain export programme, moves described by the Russian president as a response to a drone attack on his fleet in Crimea that he blamed on Ukraine.
“That’s not all we could have done,” Mr Putin warned, indicating more action was yet to come.
Ukrainian officials said energy infrastructure, including hydro-electric dams, was hit, knocking out power, heat and water supplies.
Presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich dubbed the attack “one of the most massive shellings of our territory by the army of the Russian Federation”.
