Summary Ukraine expects more air attacks on power grid this winterRussia struck energy facilities across Ukraine last winterKyiv has bolstered its air defences in preparationZHYTOMYR REGION, Ukraine, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Ukrainian air defence crews are banking on newer and better weapons systems to help prevent their country being plunged into darkness once again in a second winter of Russian missile and drone strikes. Nearly half of Ukraine's energy system was damaged by Russian attacks last winter, when Moscow pummelled power plants and transformers with cruise missiles and Iranian-made Shahed drones. The threat of attacks on the power grid remains acute following reports that Moscow has set up its own facilities to manufacture assault drones based on the Shahed-136. Skybytskyi said Russian attacks on energy infrastructure could begin in late September or early October. COST-EFFECTIVEThe Shaheds are estimated by military analysts to cost about $20,000 each, but the Western-supplied air defence missiles Kyiv used last winter cost many times more.

---

Persons: Vadym, Skybytskyi, Serhiy Naiev, Naiev, Anton, Timothy Heritage, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Joint Forces of, Armed Forces, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russia, ZHYTOMYR, Moscow, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Zhytomyr, U.S