Russia turns jet-powered Shahed-type drones into weapon of economic paralysis over Kyiv

# Analysis Russia's deployment of jet-powered Shahed drones against Kyiv infrastructure signals a deliberate shift toward economic attrition as a primary war objective, targeting the power grid and water systems that sustain both the capital's civilian population and its role as Ukraine's economic hub. By systematically destroying infrastructure rather than military positions, Russia aims to create cascading crises—rolling blackouts, water shortages, and supply chain disruptions—that erode public morale and strain Ukraine's finances, forcing resources away from military defense toward humanitarian relief. This tactic exploits the vulnerability of centralized urban infrastructure while generating international pressure for negotiations by manufacturing a humanitarian crisis. The escalation demonstrates how advanced drone technology enables belligerents to wage prolonged wars of attrition against civilian economies without direct territorial conquest, establishing a dangerous precedent for hybrid warfare that blurs lines between military and economic targets.