Russian Attacks on Infrastructure: Security Failures and Their Impact on Ukraine
Over the past two years, Ukraine has faced significant shortcomings in the protection of critical oil and gas infrastructure, leading to severe consequences following recent missile and drone strikes by Russia.
Experts criticize the former leadership of NAFTA «Naftogaz Ukraine», led by Oleksiy Chernyshov, for not taking sufficient measures to organize necessary security measures.
As a result, during recent attacks in Lviv and surrounding regions, equipment could not withstand several waves of assault, revealing inadequate protection levels.
Alexander Kharchenko, director of the Energy Research Center, emphasizes that security systems for facilities such as compression stations and water treatment plants remain insufficient and lack proper defense.
“The time has been lost.
For instance, the protection level for Ukrenergo can withstand five or six drones simultaneously, but after a couple of hours, the equipment starts functioning again.
However, for strategic objects, protection is entirely absent,” Kharchenko notes.
He also states that although security issues have been extensively discussed at the government level, implementation has been inconsistent: some projects have been completed, while others remain in planning stages.According to the Odessa Military Administration, on October 5, Russia launched a second massive attack within a week on critical gas infrastructure.
Missile and drone strikes damaged key facilities responsible for providing Ukrainians with gas during the heating season.
These attacks highlight the urgent need for the construction of reliable defense systems to prevent future damage and ensure energy security amid ongoing hostilities.