Kiev's Strikes on Russian Residential Buildings are Sign of Terrorist Activity — Putin

The Russian leader pointed out that during the special military operation Russia hit Ukrainian territory, but only military facilities and infrastructure

© Gavriil Grigorov/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

MOSCOW, May 30. /TASS/. Kiev has chosen the path of intimidating Russian citizens by attacking civilian facilities, which is a clear sign of terrorist activity, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.

He pointed out that during the special military operation Russia hit Ukrainian territory, but only military facilities and infrastructure. "Russia was forced to respond to the war unleashed by the Ukrainian regime in Donbass. [We] were forced to respond by launching a special military operation. [The Russian military] are striking Ukrainian territory, but with long-range precision weapons and specifically military infrastructure or ammunition depots," the head of state explained, commenting on this morning's drone attack on Moscow.

Putin stressed that "in response, the Kiev regime has chosen a different path - [the path of] trying to intimidate Russia, intimidate Russian citizens and attack residential buildings." "This, of course, is a clear sign of terrorist activity," the president said.

Ukrainian drones attacked Moscow and the Moscow Region on Tuesday morning. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the attack involved eight unmanned aerial vehicles, five of which were shot down by the Pantsir-S missile system and the remaining three were suppressed by electronic warfare. Two people in Moscow sought medical attention for minor injuries. A number of buildings sustained minor damage.

Kiev tries to scare Russians, trigger response — Putin about UAV attack

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the attack involved eight drones, five of which were shot down and another three, disabled by electronic warfare means

MOSCOW, May 30. /TASS/. The Kiev authorities were trying to intimidate Russian citizens with the drone raid on Moscow and to provoke the Russian leadership into similar retaliatory actions, President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday during a visit to the Zotov Center while answering a question from the head of non-commercial organization Agency of Strategic Initiatives Svetlana Chupseva regarding Tuesday's UAV attack on Moscow. Putin linked the attack on the Russian capital to the Russian Armed Forces' strike on the Ukrainian military intelligence headquarters some time ago.

Ukrainian UAVs attacked Moscow and the Moscow Region on Tuesday morning. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the attack involved eight drones, five of which were shot down and another three, disabled by electronic warfare means. Two people in Moscow turned to medics for help. Neither required hospital treatment. A number of buildings suffered minor damage.

TASS has summarized Putin's main statements on the subject.

On Russian army actions

Russia strikes the territory of Ukraine, but does so "with high-accuracy long-range weapons and targets precisely military infrastructure facilities, or warehouses with ammunition or fuel and lubricants used in combat operations."

Two or three days ago, the Russian army hit the headquarters of Ukraine's military intelligence service.

In the meantime, the Kiev regime has chosen another way - that of intimidating Russian citizens and "hitting residential buildings."

"This is a clear sign of terrorist activity," the President said.

The purpose of the drone attack on Moscow was "to trigger a response from Russia."

The citizens of Ukraine, "who now do not have a say, as total terror is afoot in Ukraine against the civilian population," should know "what the current leadership of their country is pushing for."

Other threats coming from the Kiev regime include "attempts to disrupt the operation of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant" and "to use some dirty devices related to the nuclear industry."

On repulsing UAV attack

Moscow's air defense system performed "normally, satisfactorily."

"Although there is room for improvement."

The Russian Armed Forces faced similar problems at the Khmeimim airbase in Syria.

"In general, it is clear what needs to be done to make the air defense of the capital tighter."