Protecting Ukraine’s Energy Infrastructure: Winter, War, and Lessons for the United States

Ukrainians are expecting another difficult winter of Russian attacks on their energy infrastructure. Last year, Russian forces damaged or destroyed all of Ukraine's power plants. This summer, Russia has expanded attacks to include roadside gas stations. Central heating stations, natural gas production sites, power plants, electricity transmission lines, and transformers are all at risk. Ukraine enters this winter with significantly diminished air defense compared to last winter. Meanwhile, Russia has deployed a new generation of jet-powered drones that are harder to intercept than previous strike drones.

Ukrainians are responding by hardening their infrastructure and fielding defensive measures to protect energy assets. Their innovative approaches include lessons for the United States and allies who are now engaged in their own efforts to defend against attacks on critical infrastructure. Panelists will discuss Ukraine's vulnerabilities heading into the winter, examine new developments in how Ukraine is protecting its infrastructure, and discuss how the United States can assist and learn from Ukraine's efforts.