Russia planned to launch a massive strike on Kyiv and the surrounding region using approximately 800 weapons of various types, but the result fell significantly short of expectations.
Energy expert Viktor Kurtev disclosed these details during a broadcast with Yuri Romanenko.
According to Kurtev, the decision to launch a massive attack on the capital was made following the botched use of the "Oreshnik" missile against Lviv on the night of January 9, 2026.
"When we started to analyze this 'deadly super-weapon' and the damage it caused—it was 145 square meters. Not thousands. Just square meters," Kurtev said, describing the actual impact of that strike.
He noted that it took a long time to locate the "Oreshnik" debris because it was scattered over an area of about 40 hectares. It was only found using thermal imaging, as the warheads remained hot after entering the atmosphere at speeds of around 30,000 kilometers per hour.
"They struck right next to the border, near Europe. They expected some kind of 'wow effect,' that everyone would be terrified. Our neighbors pretended they didn't notice a thing. Nobody was terrified," Kurtev said, describing the reaction to the "Oreshnik" launch.
Following this, according to Kurtev, Belousov, Patrushev, and the Russian General Staff held a meeting where Gerasimov proposed a plan to "turn out the lights" in Kyiv and the region.
"According to our intelligence, they spent last week repeatedly flying drones over a large list of facilities and conducting full satellite reconnaissance. By the end of last week, they had an exhaustive list of potential targets," he reported.
Kurtev detailed that the Ukrainian side prepared for the strike: diesel generators and mobile boiler houses were redeployed to Kyiv and the region. The new Minister of Defense, Fedorov, got involved immediately after his appointment.
"800 units of various hardware were supposed to fly at Kyiv and the perimeter. Fewer arrived. Moreover, a significant portion of the cruise missiles launched from strategic aviation didn't even reach the line of contact. They simply fell on Russian territory," Kurtev stated.
According to his data, the Darnytsia CHPP (Combined Heat and Power Plant) and CHPP-6 were hit overnight, losing power for their own auxiliary needs. CHPP-5 was successfully defended. A new high-precision "Iskander" also damaged a portal at the Vinnytsia substation.
"Why they fired there—God only knows. The auto-transformer there has been under emergency repair for a long time," he commented on the strike.
After 10 a.m., two jet-powered Shahed drones hit a key facility in the Kyiv region. This caused power and water interruptions in some districts on the Right Bank.
Kurtev noted that the Russian side is intentionally keeping drones loitering over damaged sites to prevent repair crews from starting restoration work immediately.
"To paraphrase a Russian saying: the wind-up cost a thousand rubles, but the hit was worth a hundred. The goal was not achieved," he summarized regarding the results of the attack.
Previous strikes, according to Kurtev, also caused less damage than anticipated. Kyivteploenergo specialists managed repairs in a day and a half instead of the predicted week.
"The Russians understand that their window of opportunity will soon close—slam shut. Therefore, everything happening recently, including the strikes on Ukraine, can only be called agony. It is agony," Kurtev declared.