The explosions once again broke through the night sky of Kiev, this time, no longer a bombardment of fragments, but a dampening strike, the missiles fell intensely, the neighborhoods fell into darkness, and Kiev again became the focus of warfare.
The Russian army used hypersonic missiles and cruise missiles, targeting the Ukrainian energy system. The pace of the battlefield suddenly accelerated. Behind this raid, a clear signal emerged that Putin's strategic intentions had changed, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict had entered a new stage.
Energy strike priority raised, Russian military tactics completely changed
In the past few months, the Russian army has focused on the eastern front, with artillery fire concentrated on the Donbas front line. However, the recent round of raids no longer limited to advancing on the front line, but directly hit missiles into the urban core areas of Ukraine, especially energy infrastructure.
Late in the night of October 22, the air strikes alarm sounded across Ukraine, and Kiev, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Odessa and other places fell into chaos.
Ukraine President Zelensky publicly admitted on social media that the Russian military's goal is clear, which is to blow up the country's energy system.
This is not a "firepower show" on a whim, but a planned and rhythmic strategic transformation of the Russian army. Ukraine's Ministry of Energy confirmed that emergency power outage measures have been implemented in many states across the country.
Kiev directly announced a temporary power outage in the whole city, and emergency repair personnel worked all night, but the recovery progress was extremely slow. About 120,000 households in Sumei and Chernigov are without power, and it is expected that it will take 72 hours for some areas to restore power.
The Russian military this time used the "cockpit" high-speed hypersonic missiles, the cruise missiles launched by the long-range bombers "95MS", "caliber" sea-based missiles, and a large number of suicidal drones, almost a full-fire battle.
From aerial reconnaissance, electronic interference, to precise missile strikes, the Russian military's "combination punch" caught the Ukraine air defense system off guard.
What is more noteworthy is that Russia publicly admitted for the first time that the targets of the attack include energy nodes supporting Ukraine's military-industrial system.
This point has always been kept secret by public information, but now it is displayed nakedly, showing that Russia has no longer concealed its intentions and made it impossible for Ukraine to maintain the operation of the war machine through systematic sabotage.
This is why the Ukrainian Air Force Command rarely admits that their air defense system is "exhausted" and cannot achieve 100% interception in the face of large-scale and continuous missile and drone attacks.
The military has repeatedly asked the West for more advanced air defense systems, but the reality is that aid is getting slower and promises are getting emptier.
Foreign aid is difficult to solve the urgency, the Russian army takes the initiative.
It is no accident that the Russian army chose to launch a large-scale offensive at this time. It is an indisputable fact that Ukraine's foreign aid is shrinking. Although the Trump administration of the United States continues to support Ukraine on the surface, it frequently "plays Tai Chi" in long-range strike weapons assistance.
Although Trump announced the lifting of restrictions on the use of long-range missiles, there was no substantial deployment in the future. The upgraded version of the "Haimas" and the "land-launched small-diameter bomb" originally expected by Ukraine have not yet been put in place.
Russia successfully locked the foreign mercenary camp in the Udo-Kharkov Belt, after which the Russian army used precision missiles to carry out a "hole-hole" strike, the target was completely destroyed.
This intelligence coordinated strike mode is gradually becoming the new normal of the Russian army. Drones act as "eyes" and "ears", ground special forces act as "guidance", and missiles are "surgical scalpels."
This is completely different from the past style of play of "overwhelming and blowing up whoever you see", and the accuracy and efficiency have been greatly improved.
At the same time, there are constant problems within the Ukrainian army. The large-scale desertion incident of the 155th Brigade shocked the top military and political leaders. Uzbekistan had to urgently launch an overseas Ukrainian mobilization plan in an attempt to make up for the gap in combat effectiveness.
But the reality is cruel, and recruitment advertisements are more and more, and can not replace people who are really willing to go to the frontline. Moreover, more and more mercenaries on social platforms begin to “expose themselves”, saying they are trapped in the war zone, cannot evacuate, and even say they are “abandoned by the West”.
What Ukraine is facing is not only the double shortage of troops and equipment, but also the decline of public confidence. The power supply system was paralyzed, and people had to rely on generators, candles and blankets.
The war has pushed from the front to the back and has also pushed into the daily lives of every ordinary Ukrainian family.
On the Russian side, it has just completed the early assembly of 200,000 reserve troops, comprehensively increased soldier allowances, and deployed more logistical resources, which is obviously the rhythm of preparation for long-term war.
The front line is blurred, the battlefield spreads, and the door to peace is getting narrower and narrower
The Russian-Ukrainian conflict is no longer a “front war” in the traditional sense, and now anywhere can become a battlefield, and any building can be hit by missiles.
Kiev’s airstrikes targeted not only power plants, but also heating centers, transformation plants, communication hubs, and even large storage areas, which Ukraine called a “systemic energy war”, while Russia positioned it as a “precise undermining of the potential of war in Ukraine.”
From a tactical point of view, the Russian military is trying to drag Ukraine into a war of attrition between logistics and people's livelihood capabilities by "using war to promote attrition."
From a strategic perspective, this is preparing for the winter front. Without electricity, there would be no heating; without heating, the city would be difficult to keep running.
This war is no longer just a military confrontation, but also a contest between national systems and national systems. Russia is testing Ukraine's "resilience limits."
At the same time, the collapse of the mercenary system is also accelerating. According to Russian media and anonymous Ukrainian channels, since June 2025, the number of Colombian mercenaries alone has exceeded 200, and the number of Brazilian casualties has also reached close to 100. Accounts that once frantically recruited "righteous people" on Facebook and Twitter have now quietly stopped updating.
These "international volunteers" are packaged by Western media as heroes of salvation, but on the battlefield, they are just "disposable tool people" with no logistical support, language barriers, and tactics unfamiliar. In the face of high-intensity conflicts, many people can't last for a week.
As the Trump administration's attitude towards aid to Ukraine begins to tighten, this "foreign aid illusion" is rapidly shattered. Public opinion in western countries has also changed. From the initial solidarity to the present fatigue, the enthusiasm for aid has obviously declined.
To make matters worse, the process of peace negotiations is difficult to advance. Although the United States has expressed its willingness to promote negotiations, Uzbekistan insists on "recovering all its territory" while Russia demands "legalization of the new border." Neither side has room for concessions, let alone space for mediation.
This war is spreading from the battlefield to diplomacy, energy, people's livelihood, and even corners of the international order. Every missile attack not only destroys a target, but also shatters the hope at the negotiating table.
Peace is still unclear, but artillery is getting closer and closer, Russian missiles are landing precisely, Ukrainian power systems are collapsing repeatedly, and the people of both countries are trapped in this endless sewing battle.
Winter is approaching, and cold is not only a kind of weather, but also a realistic examination question. Whoever can hold on is qualified to negotiate terms after the war. Now, it is obvious that the Russian army has taken the lead.
Source of information:
Zelensky: Russia has launched a "systematic terrorist war" against Ukraine. In recent weeks, it has attacked at night every day. October 17, 2025, 15:40 Beijing Youth Daily