Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised even more destruction in Ukraine after yesterday's drone attack on buildings in the central Russian city of Kazan, for which Moscow blamed Kiev, world agencies reported.
"Anyone who tries to destroy something in our country, no matter how big or small, will face even greater destruction in their own country and will regret what they tried to do in ours," Putin said at an official ceremony, commenting on yesterday's strike in Kazan, about 1,000 km from the Ukrainian border, Agence France-Presse reported.
According to local authorities, the strike was aimed at residential buildings, but caused no casualties. Spectacular footage that has spread on Russian social networks shows drones hitting tall glass-fronted buildings, causing a fireball.
Ukraine has not commented on the attack or the Russian accusations. The strike in Kazan is believed to have been in response to Russian shelling, DPA notes.
Kiev regularly carries out strikes in Russia, often against oil or industrial targets, in response to Russian air strikes and the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine, which began nearly three years ago. It is rare for Ukraine to be accused of attacks on residential buildings so far from its borders, AFP recalls.
In recent weeks, Vladimir Putin has repeatedly threatened to strike the center of Kiev with his powerful new Oreshnik missile, which was first used in November. His army's near-constant airstrikes have brought Ukraine's energy system to its knees, causing regular power outages amid the winter.
On the front line, the Russian army is advancing rapidly, especially in the eastern Donetsk region. In recent months, Moscow has accelerated its advance into eastern Ukraine, seeking to seize as much territory as possible before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump in January, who has promised to bring the conflict to a swift end.
Earlier, Putin told Russian journalist Pavel Zarubin that the production and use of the Oreshnik hypersonic missile was more than just an event of the year. It was a historic event for the entire missile and space industry, the Russian head of state said, as quoted by TASS.
He also promised that Russia "will move forward." "We will not only repair the damage that someone is trying to inflict on us, but we will also move forward at an even greater pace," the Russian president said, praising the pace of development of the Kazan region.