Budanov: Russia Strikes Energy Grid to Spark Protests

Russia is targeting Ukraine’s critical infrastructure to inflict maximum damage, hoping to incite public discontent and provoke street protests to force a surrender of national interests, Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Budanov told CBS News in an interview on Friday, Nov. 6. Budanov stated that the Kremlin’s calculation will fail and expressed confidence that Ukraine will endure the cold season despite intensified attacks.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “[Russian forces want to] inflict maximum damage on our critical infrastructure – thereby, they hope, in their understanding, to create ground for social discontent, for street protests, and pushing toward, essentially, the surrender of national interests. But this will not happen,” Budanov said. The head of the presidential office said Ukraine will navigate the winter months, concluding: “It will be difficult, but we will get through it.” Infrastructure targets Russia is preparing to attack Budanov’s assessment arrived as President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Friday that Moscow is preparing fresh strikes against civilian utilities and transportation nodes, citing intelligence data. Zelensky highlighted that bridges spanning the Dnipro River remain priority targets alongside electrical generation facilities, noting that Ukraine’s Air Force and the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are organizing defensive measures. “We need interceptor missiles for our Patriots,” Zelensky said. “Every agreement matters, and every day counts when it comes to deliveries. We’re asking our partners very strongly: please don’t put off deliveries.” Other Topics of Interest ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 6, 2026 War in Ukraine - Latest update, key takeaways and map from the Institute for the Study of War on November 6, 2026. Russian strike drones have repeatedly targeted key transport crossings in the capital, including strikes on Kyiv’s South (Pivdennyi) Bridge and North Bridge since early October, which caused traffic disruptions and prompted emergency traffic closures. How did Russia target Kyiv overnight The strategic warnings coincided with an overnight missile attack on the capital into Saturday, Nov. 7, during which Russian forces launched at least six ballistic missiles toward Kyiv. The ballistic barrage wounded five people, including a child, and destroyed a two-story building on the grounds of a kindergarten in the capital’s Solomianskyi district. The impacts damaged several adjacent five-story apartment buildings, partially collapsing a ground-floor facade and shattering windows across the residential neighborhood. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that falling missile debris damaged residential blocks and urged citizens to heed air raid alerts as Russian forces sustained strikes against municipal infrastructure. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.