Key facts
- President Putin stated Ukraine's strikes on Russian economic targets have opened 'Pandora's box'.
- Putin vowed Russia would respond by targeting Ukraine's most sensitive economic sectors.
- Ukraine has targeted Russian oil refineries and warehouses with drone strikes.
- Russia has struck Ukrainian economic infrastructure, including grain export routes.
- Putin claimed Russia can compensate for any disruption to Ukrainian agricultural exports globally.
- Putin reiterated Moscow's willingness for peace talks based on current realities.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Ukraine's campaign of drone strikes on Russian economic targets, including oil refineries, has opened "Pandora's box." In comments published on Saturday, Putin warned that Russia would retaliate by targeting Ukraine's "most sensitive economic sectors."
Ukraine has intensified its attacks this summer on infrastructure it claims is central to Russia's war effort. Russia has responded with strikes against Ukrainian economic infrastructure, notably impacting grain exports via the Black Sea. Putin asserted that these strikes, even those jeopardizing Ukraine's agricultural exports, would not lead to global food shortages, as Russia is capable of replacing Ukrainian exports.