Infrastructure Warfare: How Russia’s Bridge Strikes Reflect Long‑Term Strategies of Civilian Disruption in Ukraine

During World War II, the Red Army employed scorched‑earth orders to destroy bridges, rail lines, and factories ahead of the German advance, a doctrine later codified in Soviet military manuals. Similar patterns appeared in the 1990s Chechen wars, where federal forces targeted Grozny’s bridges to isolate rebel strongholds. The current Russian drone campaign mirrors these historical precedents, indicating a continuity of infrastructure denial as a strategic tool rather than a novel escalation. Understanding this lineage shifts the focus from Putin’s personal ambition to institutionalized military practice.