Russia to seize poorly protected infrastructure as Ukraine barrage persists

Operators could lose control of facilities if regulators find them too slow to repair damage as Ukraine attacks spur economic and societal difficulties.Published On 24 Aug 202624 Aug 2026President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree opening the way for the Russian state to take temporary control of critical infrastructure found to be inadequately protected from attack.The decree, published on Monday, would allow Moscow to strip owners of physical and financial control over facilities should it be determined that they are failing to secure them or repair damage quickly. The move comes as Ukraine maintains an intense drone campaign against Russian infrastructure.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Ukraine sanctions popular Russian cartoon ‘Masha and the Bear’list 2 of 3Zelenskyy says wartime elections could ‘destroy’ Ukrainelist 3 of 3Ukraine’s offensive against Russia causes petrol panic across Central Asiaend of listUnder the decree, ownership powers would transfer to Russia’s Federal Agency for State Property Management or another designated body, which would take responsibility for the site’s safety and could conduct an inventory of its assets.Fuel and energy facilities,...