Vladimir Putin held a Security Council meeting on August 7 to discuss additional measures for protecting Russian infrastructure from terrorist attacks, according to the Kremlin. The meeting came as Ukraine has dramatically escalated drone strikes against Russian energy facilities, intensifying pressure on Moscow’s critical infrastructure defenses.
Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov delivered a report on anti-terrorist protection measures during the session at the Kremlin in Moscow. Attending were Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, Secretary of the Security Council Sergei Shoigu, Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Foreign Intelligence Service Director Sergei Naryshkin, and Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, according to the Kremlin’s official account.
Ukraine’s campaign against Russian oil infrastructure has reached unprecedented levels in 2026. Since the start of the year, Russian refineries have been hit at least 194 times—an 11-fold increase compared to the same period in 2025, according to the Financial Times. Ukrainian forces have targeted major facilities including the Gazprom Neft Moscow Refinery in June and multiple oil terminals near St. Petersburg, as part of what Kyiv describes as an effort to deprive Russia of resources to fund its military operations.
Putin has repeatedly expressed concern about infrastructure vulnerability. In March 2026, he held a similar Security Council meeting focused on protecting Russia’s critical infrastructure amid intensified Ukrainian attacks on military, chemical, and energy targets. The recurring focus on infrastructure defense reflects the mounting challenge posed by Ukraine’s expanding drone capabilities and strategic targeting of Russia’s economic assets.
The infrastructure protection agenda also reflects broader Russian security concerns. In July 2026, U.S. and allied cybersecurity agencies warned that Russian threat actors were targeting vulnerable network devices in critical infrastructure sectors globally, indicating that infrastructure threats extend beyond conventional military strikes to include cyber operations. Russia itself has faced mounting pressure to defend against both physical attacks and cyber intrusions targeting its energy and transportation networks.
Previous Security Council meetings on infrastructure have resulted in policy adjustments. In March 2026, Russia’s arms regulations were modified to allow private security firms to use firearms at critical infrastructure sites, a measure aimed at strengthening defenses against potential attacks.
Sources
- Kremlin — official account of Putin’s Security Council meeting on August 7, 2026, and attendees
- Financial Times — data on Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries in 2026 (194 hits, 11-fold increase)
- Reuters — Putin’s March 2026 infrastructure protection meeting and ongoing concerns
- CISA, NSA, FBI, and international partners — July 2026 warning on Russian cyber threat activity targeting critical infrastructure
