Russia’s infrastructure is being pummeled by Ukrainian strikes. Now Putin wants to seize control of it
Putin Moves to Seize Russia’s Infrastructure
Goldlaner.com – Russia’s infrastructure is being hammered by Ukrainian drone and missile strikes with increasing frequency, and President Vladimir Putin has responded by signing a decree that lets the federal government take temporary command of privately held critical assets. The order, which took effect on Monday, authorizes Moscow to impose what it calls “temporary administration” over fuel networks, energy plants, telecommunications, transport corridors, and logistics operations whenever an owner is judged to have neglected adequate protection or restoration after an attack.
The decree marks a sharp escalation in how the Kremlin manages the domestic economic fallout of a conflict that has drawn steadily closer to Russian households over recent months. Fuel shortages have appeared in multiple regions, and strikes on warehouses and power sites well behind the front lines have collapsed the psychological distance between the battlefield and everyday life.
What the Decree Actually Authorizes
The document’s stated rationale is blunt: it cites “the growing threats to the security of critical infrastructure facilities of the Russian Federation.” In practice, the measure creates a legal on-ramp for the state to step in the moment a private operator is deemed slow to harden a site or slow to bring operations back online after a hit. Once triggered, the arrangement transfers control of the owner’s property, associated property rights, and equity shares into state hands for the duration of the intervention.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov walked reporters through the logic on Tuesday, pointing to what he described as a pattern of private-sector complacency toward drone threats.
“Quite often the owners of enterprises do not pay proper attention to taking measures to ensure security, anti-drone security.”
Peskov also framed the decree as a response to Western military aid flowing to Kyiv, arguing that Russia “must take measures” to “ensure our own security.” Asked which specific firms might fall within the decree’s scope, he deferred to the bureaucratic process, saying the situation would be “analyzed primarily by the government, by the relevant agencies,” and that “wherever security measures are not being taken in critical areas, corresponding proposals will be submitted.”
Strikes on Commerce and the Air-Defense Gap
The decree lands amid a visible uptick in Ukrainian targeting of commercial supply chains inside Russia. In recent days, Kyiv has intensified attacks on Ozon logistics hubs — a major domestic delivery network and direct competitor to Wildberries, the e-commerce giant already struck repeatedly. The aim is to make the cost of war tangible in shopping carts and stalled deliveries rather than abstract in budget spreadsheets.
On the opposite side of the border, Russia has been escalating high-speed missile barrages across Ukraine, exploiting a widening gap in Kyiv’s interceptor inventory. Ukrainian forces depend heavily on US-made Patriot systems to down ballistic missiles, and that reliance has become a vulnerability as global supply tightens amid concurrent conflicts, including the ongoing Iran war. Overnight into Tuesday, Russia launched two missiles and 150 drones at Ukrainian targets; the Ukrainian Air Force reported shooting down 124 of those drones, leaving a residual threat that underscores the strain on available interceptors.
President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the shortfall publicly during a Tuesday meeting with his Estonian counterpart, speaking through the state media channel Ukrinform.
“I won’t say which country provided them either – we’ve also received a”
For ordinary Russians, the compounding effect is a familiar anxiety: fuel pumps running dry, package deliveries stalled, and the knowledge that the next drone swarm could land on a warehouse in their own region. The decree, in Kremlin framing, is designed to prevent private inertia from converting a localized strike into a prolonged regional disruption.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the decree take effect? The order became active on Monday following its signature by President Putin.
Which sectors does it cover? Fuel and energy networks, telecommunications, transport corridors, and logistics operations are all within scope.
Can the state permanently take ownership? The decree specifies “temporary administration,” meaning control reverts to the private owner once the arrangement ends. No permanent expropriation is outlined in the text.
Which companies are targeted first? Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said specifics would be worked out by government agencies and that proposals would be submitted wherever security gaps are identified. No individual firms were named publicly.
How does this relate to Ukrainian strikes on delivery networks? Recent Ukrainian operations have hit Ozon logistics hubs and Wildberries facilities. The decree gives Moscow a legal mechanism to assume control of such sites if private operators are judged slow to restore operations after an attack.
