On October 28, military expert Ivan Stupak spoke on the air of the Civil Watch Center about the recent drone strike on a dam in Russia's Belgorod region. He explained that the main goal was to partially flood Russian military positions and disrupt their logistics. The Ukrainian Armed Forces officially claimed responsibility for the strike, which damaged a sluice near the village of Hrafivka, leading to emergency water discharge toward the Ukrainian border and the Siverskyi Donets River, complicating the situation for Russian troops.
Stupak noted the attack was planned with engineering expertise to hinder enemy logistics and impede their supplies. Ukrainian forces acted cautiously to minimize risks to their own positions, opting for a gradual release of water rather than causing large-scale flooding.
The expert warned that retaliatory strikes by Russia, including possible attacks on Ukrainian dams or infrastructure, could follow. He emphasized, however, that total destruction of such structures would require internal sabotage, as with the Kakhovka dam incident. External strikes usually only cause partial damage.
The conversation also touched on ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy facilities, shortages of gas, and potential difficulties during the heating season. Stupak outlined likely Russian attack strategies using drones, artillery, and missiles against critical infrastructure across Ukraine.
Other topics included Ukraine's expanding capability to hit distant Russian targets with locally produced drones and missiles, and the broader context of domestic and Western arms supplies. Stupak assessed Ukraine's current self-sufficiency in arms at around 40%, with the remainder coming from Western partners.
Finally, Stupak addressed unfounded Russian claims about foreign troops massing near Ukraine, dismissing them as baseless disinformation.
