Kiev has stepped up drone strikes on Russian energy infrastructure and civilian targets amid continued setbacks on the battlefield
Published 13 Jul, 2026 15:51
Russian President Vladimir Putin, July 13, 2026. © Sputnik / Sergey Guneyev
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that any Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory will be met with significantly stronger retaliation.
Putin made the remarks on Monday while addressing the ‘All for Victory!’ forum organized by the All-Russian People’s Front, where he discussed the Ukraine conflict and Moscow’s response to Western backing for Kiev.
“Our response will always mirror any strike on Russian territory. We will respond in kind – only several times more powerfully,” Putin said. “The enemy will feel it. They already do, I hope. And they will feel it even more in the future.”
Russia’s strength lies in its ability to overcome “every difficulty and every challenge,” while the “Russophobic” part of the collective West continues to wage a campaign against the country, Putin said.
Despite the pressure, Russia is “developing its economy, strengthening its financial system, modernizing its Armed Forces and expanding its defense industry,” he said, adding that these efforts are already changing “the situation on the battlefield.”
“Our fighters are advancing,” Putin said. “That is why there is no doubt we will achieve victory.”
Ukraine has intensified drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure and residential areas in recent months amid continued setbacks on the battlefield, launching several hundred UAVs a day on average. FPV drones, including AI-assisted models, have increasingly targeted passenger buses and private vehicles.
In late June, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky announced a 40-day pressure campaign, combining long-range strikes and clandestine operations aimed at inflicting economic damage on Russia.
Moscow has condemned the attacks as indiscriminate acts of terrorism intended to distract from Ukraine’s battlefield setbacks, responding with an expanded campaign of long-range strikes.
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Most Russian strikes in recent weeks have focused on the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, targeting military-industrial facilities, drone assembly and storage sites, and weapons depots.
