Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that the strikes carried out by Moscow against energy facilities in Ukraine, which have caused widespread power outages, are part of the Kremlin's effort to "disarm" Kyiv. Putin's statements came hours after Russia launched a wide-ranging missile and drone attack on Ukraine, targeting energy facilities across various regions.
He stated, "We assume that through this method, we are affecting Ukraine's military-industrial sector," during a meeting with his ally, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, at the Kremlin. The Russian president added that the strikes are also a response to Ukraine's recent series of attacks on Russian energy facilities.
He explained, "We have recently seen a series of strikes on our energy sites, and we were forced to respond," emphasizing that Moscow had avoided targeting Ukrainian energy facilities during the winter "because we did not want to deprive social centers, hospitals, etc., of electricity."
