Russian President Vladimir Putin has intensified his warnings to Ukraine, stating that Kyiv has 'opened Pandora's box' by escalating attacks on Russian economic infrastructure. According to his latest comments published on Saturday, Putin warned that 'The Kyiv regime set out to damage our economy. What did it do? It opened this Pandora's box itself.' The Russian president emphasized that 'The unity of the Russian population had also not been broken,' while claiming that Ukraine, backed by the West, had failed in its 40-day plan to destroy the Russian economy. Putin continued to threaten retaliation, warning that 'The countermeasures will not be long in coming. You'll get them,' directly addressing Kiev. He also reiterated that Russia remains open to peace talks based on what he called the 'realities on the ground', but rejected proposals that Kyiv has reportedly conveyed through intermediaries, describing them as 'exotic'. Putin announced that Russia would now target the most vulnerable sectors of the Ukrainian economy, stating that 'Ukraine is dependent on agricultural exports, which provided substantial budget revenues.'
The latest violence has resulted in at least 13 people killed in overnight and Saturday attacks, with seven deaths reported in Ukraine, four in Russia and two in Russian-annexed Crimea. The attacks came as rescuers continued searching through the remains of a damaged shopping centre in Kryvyi Rih, where 16 people were killed in a Russian drone attack a day earlier. Ukraine's General Staff reported that Kyiv's forces struck Rosneft PJSC's Novokuybyshevsk oil refinery in the Samara region, located approximately 900 kilometers from Ukraine's border. As reported by NDTV, images on social media showed a plume of black smoke billowing from the refinery. The latest attack has resulted in at least 16 people killed and 130 injured, including 23 children, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Additionally, a logistics center in the same region was set ablaze, with Ozon Holdings, Russia's second-largest e-commerce company, reporting that about 500 employees were evacuated and some people were injured.
Ukraine has intensified its drone campaign against Russian infrastructure, including oil refineries and warehouses, which Kyiv says are important to Moscow's war effort. Putin announced that Russia would now target the most vulnerable sectors of the Ukrainian economy, stating that 'Ukraine is dependent on agricultural exports, which provided substantial budget revenues.' Ukraine is one of the world's leading grain exporters, and Putin said Russia had strong export potential following a good harvest and would supply the global market. He emphasized that 'Russian army operations would become significantly more noticeable and destructive,' with ultranationalist circles in Russia recently calling on him to take a harder line against Ukraine. Putin again acknowledged that there had been damage to Russia, but said it had brought Kiev no advantage on the battlefield. Commenting on grain export disruptions, Putin vowed there would be no shortage on the global grain market, stating 'We do have some issues related to exports of our goods. But we will resolve these issues.'
The comments come amid continued diplomatic efforts to find a path towards ending the war, even as both sides intensify attacks on each other's infrastructure. Ukraine's allies in the Coalition of the Willing, led by France and Britain, are due to meet on Monday to discuss ways to increase pressure on Moscow to end the war. Putin acknowledged that Russia faces difficulties transporting its own goods but said Moscow would overcome the challenges and maintain supplies to international markets. At least 13 people were killed in overnight and Saturday attacks, with the latest violence coming as rescuers continued searching through the remains of a damaged shopping centre in Kryvyi Rih. Moscow has increasingly responded to Ukrainian strikes with attacks on economic and civilian infrastructure, including facilities linked to Ukraine's grain exports through the Black Sea. Russia and Ukraine had previously adhered to a Turkish-brokered deal to protect grain exports on the Black Sea, but Russia exited the deal in 2023.
