Russia Masses Bombers and Drones for New Strikes on Ukraine’s Power and Logistics Network
Russia is preparing another large-scale air attack on Ukraine’s energy facilities and logistics infrastructure, Ukrainian officials say, after launching 171 drones in a single day and redeploying strategic bombers closer to strike range.
Ukraine faces another major attack on its power system and transport routes as Russia masses bombers and drones for what President Volodymyr Zelensky describes as a new large-scale strike.
The warning follows one of the heaviest single days of drone attacks reported so far. Between 06:30 and 19:00 on November 2, Russian forces launched 171 attack drones against Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian military. That wave included 103 jet-powered unmanned aircraft and 10 S8000 Banderol/Dan-T munitions. Air defenses reported downing or suppressing 139 drones, including 78 of the jet-powered type, and eight of the S8000s. Around 20 drones were still airborne as of the evening, and Ukrainian forces said combat operations were continuing.
Zelensky says intelligence points to a combined missile and drone assault focused on Ukraine’s energy sector and logistics infrastructure. He singled out energy-sector facilities, critical life-support networks, and transport routes that support Ukraine’s rear areas and military logistics as priority Russian targets.
Russian strategic aviation activity appears to line up with that assessment. Two Tu-160 bombers have taken off from Ukrainka airbase. Seven Tu-95MS strategic bombers are redeploying from the same Far East base to Olenya and Engels-2 airbases, supported by three IL-78 aerial refuelers. Reporting also notes that five Tu-160M bombers have departed from Ukrainka in connection with the anticipated combined missile and drone attack, which sources expect to take place tonight.
These aircraft are Russia’s main platforms for launching long-range cruise missiles at targets across Ukraine. Their movement to bases such as Engels-2 and Olenya increases the threat window for power plants, grid nodes, and transport hubs, which have already been repeatedly struck since the start of Russia’s current campaign against Ukrainian infrastructure.
Zelensky says Russia is concentrating its efforts on damaging critical life-support networks and transport routes, and trying to destabilize the rear by disrupting logistics that support Ukrainian forces. Another coordinated strike on energy facilities risks further blackouts, interruptions to water and heating, and delays to rail and road movements that carry supplies to the front.
How effectively Ukrainian air defenses handle the next bombardment, and the scale of any damage to energy and logistics nodes, will determine whether this new wave marks an escalation beyond the 171-drone assault already recorded on November 2.
Sources
- OSINT