Ukraine Opened Pandora’s Box by Attacking Russia’s Economic Targets, Putin Says

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Ukraine opened a “Pandora’s box” by targeting Russia’s economic facilities, warning that Moscow could now strike key and sensitive economic sectors in Ukraine.

According to The Moscow Times, Putin made the remarks in an interview, saying that Ukraine’s attempts to damage the Russian economy had created a situation in which Kyiv itself could face serious consequences.

The Russian president said Moscow now had grounds to target economic sectors in Ukraine that are considered particularly important to the country.

Russia has claimed that Ukraine has recently used drones to attack Russian oil refineries, industrial facilities, warehouses and other economic and logistical infrastructure. Ukraine maintains that such targets are important to Russia’s war effort and military spending.

In response, Putin indicated that Russia could target Ukraine’s agricultural sector, export infrastructure and other key economic facilities. Russia has previously targeted infrastructure linked to Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea.

The Russian president, however, said Moscow remained open to peace negotiations, but stressed that any talks would have to take current realities on the ground into account. He said some of Ukraine’s proposals were unacceptable under the existing circumstances.

Putin’s latest remarks come amid an increase in attacks by both Russia and Ukraine on each other’s economic and critical infrastructure, raising concerns that the conflict could further expand and that more key economic facilities on both sides could become targets.