“Over the past month, (Russia) has increased the number of air strikes 1.3 times,” Syrskyi said in a post on Telegram<\/a>. “While our air defense is approximately 74% effective, we must make further efforts to protect rear-area energy facilities, critical infrastructure, and logistics.”<\/p>\n The comments follow President Volodymyr Zelensky’s criticism<\/a> of Kyiv authorities for their supposedly poor protection of critical infrastructure in the city.<\/p>\n Syrskyi also highlighted Ukraine’s progress with the DeepStrike program, which focuses on boosting the effectiveness of long-range strikes against targets inside Russian territory to degrade its military capabilities.<\/p>\n “We are destroying facilities involved in the production of fuel, lubricants, explosives, and other key components of Russia’s military-industrial complex. Notably, oil processing in Russia has been reduced by 21%,” Syrskyi said.<\/p>\n The commander added that Ukraine is also continuing to develop a new type of military unit under the Air Force \u2014 unmanned air defense systems \u2014 as part of its ongoing modernization efforts.<\/p>\n In recent attacks, Russia has consistently targeted Ukraine\u2019s heating systems, power grids, and gas infrastructure \u2014 all of which are under growing strain as colder weather sets in.<\/p>\n Russia launched mass missile and drone strikes on Oct. 3 at gas production facilities in Ukraine’s Kharkiv and Poltava oblasts.<\/p>\n State-owned oil and gas giant Naftogaz called the attack the “most massive<\/a>” to date against its gas production since the start of the full-scale war, saying Russia had launched 35 missiles and 60 drones at its facilities.<\/p>\n Just two days later, Russia carried out another large-scale attack on gas infrastructure critical to residential heating, causing significant damage and destruction, according to Naftogaz.<\/p>\n Russian attacks have destroyed more than half of Ukraine’s natural gas production capacity<\/a> ahead of winter, according to Bloomberg.<\/p>\n As a result of the strikes, Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk announced on Oct. 7 that Ukraine plans to increase natural gas imports<\/a> by 30%.<\/p>\n