Putin warns of retaliation after Ukraine targets Russian economic sites
President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine's strikes on Russian economic infrastructure have opened a "Pandora's box" and pledged counter-measures against Kyiv's most sensitive sectors.
In comments aired on Saturday, President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine's campaign of drone strikes against Russian economic targets, such as oil refineries and e-commerce warehouses, has opened a "Pandora's box". He warned that Russia will strike back at Ukraine's most vulnerable economic sectors, citing recent attacks on Ukrainian grain exports via the Black Sea. Putin asserted that these actions would not cause worldwide food shortages, arguing Russia can compensate for the loss of Ukrainian grain.
He acknowledged challenges in shipping Russian goods but said they will be resolved. While condemning Kyiv's actions, Putin restated that Russia is willing to discuss peace only if negotiations reflect the current situation on the ground.
Why it matters
The exchange of economic attacks raises the risk of broader disruption to global food supplies and signals escalating retaliation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
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