Vladimir Putin vows Russia to hit back harder at Ukrainian attacks

President Vladimir Putin warned that Russia will answer Ukrainian attacks on its territory with retaliatory strikes “several times stronger.” The remarks, made at the “All for Victory” forum and awards ceremony in Moscow, came as Kyiv’s drone campaign intensified, targeting Russian oil refineries, ports and other energy infrastructure and causing fuel shortages inside Russia. Russian officials cited recent attacks that hit 15 Russian vessels in the Azov Sea and bombed a residential building in Starobelsk, resulting in civilian casualties. Putin rejected calls for peace talks, stating that Moscow’s response will be “symmetrical but with much more force” and that the scale of future strikes will continue to increase. The statements were reported by outlets in several countries, all describing the same escalation in the Russia‑Ukraine conflict.