Russia will focus on targets in Ukraine that could include “decision-making centres” in response to Kyiv’s use of US and UK-made long-range weapons, Vladimir Putin has said.
So far, Russian attacks on Kyiv have not targeted government buildings and the capital is heavily defended by air defences. However, Putin touted the new Oreshnik hypersonic missile Russia fired at Ukraine last week, claiming it was impossible to shoot down.
Speaking in Kazakhstan, Putin said: ” Of course, we will respond to the ongoing strikes on Russian territory with long-range Western-made missiles, as has already been said, including by possibly continuing to test the Oreshnik in combat conditions, as was done on November 21.”
He continued: “At present, the Ministry of Defence and the General Staff are selecting targets to hit on Ukrainian territory. These could be military facilities, defence and industrial enterprises, or decision-making centres in Kyiv.”
The Russian leader also said: “Tonight we conducted a comprehensive strike using 90 missiles of similar classes and 100 drones. Seventeen targets were hit.
“These are military facilities, defence industry facilities and their support systems.
“Let me repeat once again: these strikes on our part also took place in response to the ongoing strikes (by Ukraine) on Russian territory with American ATACMS missiles. As I have already said many times, there will always be a response from our side.”
The chilling comments come after Russia launched a devastating attack against Kyiv’s energy infrastructure this morning which Ukraine‘s President Volodymyr Zelensky called a “vile escalation”.
Huge explosions were reported in cities across Ukraine.
On Thursday, air raid warnings for “the threat of missile danger” in Kyiv, Rivne, Vinnytsia, Kropyvnytskyi, Balta, Mykolai and other cities.
Ukrainian energy minister, Herman Halushchenko, said the strikes were “taking place all over Ukraine.”
Ukraine says that 1million people are now without power with the temperatures in the country only just above freezing.
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