‘Opened Pandora’s box’: Putin’s big warning after Ukraine hits Russian economic infrastructure
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned Ukraine of a retaliatory campaign against its most sensitive economic sectors after Kyiv intensified drone strikes on Russian economic infrastructure, saying the attacks had “opened Pandora’s box”.Putin said on Saturday that Russia would respond to Ukraine’s strikes, which have increasingly targeted economic infrastructure including oil refineries and warehouses belonging to online retailers. Kyiv has sought to disrupt infrastructure it considers central to Russia’s war effort.“The Kyiv regime set out to damage our economy. What did it do? It opened this Pandora’s box itself. Well then, expect a response targeting your most sensitive economic sectors,” Putin said in comments to a Russian state television journalist.The warning comes as Russia and Ukraine have stepped up attacks on each other’s economic infrastructure. Russian strikes have targeted Ukrainian economic assets, including facilities linked to grain exports through the Black Sea, while Ukraine has used drones to hit Russian energy and other commercial infrastructure.Putin said Russia’s response to disruptions affecting its own exports would not lead to shortages on global markets. He said Moscow could overcome difficulties in shipping its goods and replace Ukrainian agricultural exports affected by Russian attacks.“We do face challenges regarding the shipment of our goods, but we will resolve these issues. Consequently, there will be no shortage on the global market,” Putin said.The warning comes as the two countries continue to strike each other’s economic and civilian infrastructure. Ukrainian drones hit an industrial facility and an Ozon warehouse in Russia’s Samara region on Saturday. Meanwhile, Russian strikes killed at least 14 people at a shopping centre in Ukraine’s Kryvyi Rih.
Ukrainian drones strike Samara industrial facility, Ozon warehouse
Ukrainian drones struck an industrial facility and a warehouse belonging to Ozon, Russia’s second-largest online retailer, in the Samara region overnight, according to regional Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev.Several people were wounded, Fedorishchev said in a post on Telegram, although he did not identify the industrial facility that was hit. Samara is home to several oil refineries that have repeatedly been targeted by Ukrainian drones.Ozon said its logistics centre in the town of Chapayevsk had suspended operations following the strike, which it said caused injuries.The attack marked the first reported strike on Ozon, after weeks of Ukrainian attacks targeting its larger rival Wildberries. Kyiv has portrayed such strikes as part of a wider campaign against economic infrastructure supporting Russia’s military effort.Russia’s defence ministry said it had shot down 457 Ukrainian drones overnight.The attacks come as Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian oil and logistics infrastructure in an effort to disrupt Moscow’s war machine and put pressure on the Kremlin to return to negotiations.
Russian drones kill 14 at Kryvyi Rih shopping centre
In Ukraine, at least 14 people were killed and more than 120 wounded when two Russian drones struck a shopping centre in Kryvyi Rih, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown, on Friday.Regional Governor Oleksandr Hanzha said 121 people were wounded, including 22 children. Twenty-nine people were in serious condition, including five children.Videos from the scene showed rescuers rushing to help the wounded as thick smoke poured from the damaged building. Fires broke out following the strikes.Zelensky condemned the attack as “absolutely cynical and despicable”, saying a second Russian drone hit the shopping centre about half an hour after the first in an apparent attempt to target emergency responders.“Attacks like these are nothing less than terrorist acts,” Zelenskiy said on Telegram, urging the international community to hold Russia accountable.Kryvyi Rih, an industrial city about 60 kilometres from the front line, has faced repeated Russian attacks during the war. Russia has intensified its aerial bombardment of Ukrainian cities in recent months, including a ballistic missile strike on Kyiv on Thursday that killed 17 people.The United Nations has said Ukraine’s civilian death toll in 2026 has reached its highest level since the first months of the war.
Ukraine, allies push for pressure on Russia
Ukraine’s allies are due to meet in Kyiv on Monday to reaffirm support for the country on its Independence Day, as diplomatic efforts to end the war remain stalled.The Coalition of the Willing meeting will be co-chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron, joining by video link, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Around 10 leaders, including European Council President Antonio Costa, are expected to attend, according to an EU official.Zelensky has called for stronger international pressure on Moscow.“The world must respond to them accordingly — with real pressure on the aggressor. For peace to be possible, Russia must face real accountability,” he said.Kyiv has repeatedly asked its allies for additional military support as Russia intensifies its attacks, particularly ballistic missile strikes that are difficult for Ukrainian air defences to intercept.Ukraine, meanwhile, has expanded its own strikes inside Russia, targeting oil facilities, logistics infrastructure and other economic assets in an effort to weaken Moscow’s capacity to wage war.
Putin says Moscow remains open to talks
Putin also reiterated that Russia remains open to peace talks with Ukraine, but only on the basis of what he described as the “realities on the ground”.He rejected what he called “exotic” proposals that Ukraine had conveyed through intermediaries.Diplomatic efforts have so far failed to produce a breakthrough, with Russia demanding sweeping territorial and political concessions from Kyiv. Zelensky has rejected those terms, arguing that accepting them would amount to capitulation and leave Ukraine vulnerable to another Russian attack.The escalation in strikes comes as the war approaches its fourth-and-a-half year mark, with both sides increasingly targeting infrastructure beyond the immediate battlefield.
