Putin threatens strikes on Ukraine government buildings, after 'retaliation' attack leaves million without power

28 November 2024, 12:00 | Updated: 28 November 2024, 12:01

Vladimir Putin has threatened to hit Ukrainian government buildings next, after a series of strikes left around a million people without power on Thursday.

The Russian president claimed that attacks on "decision-making centres" could follow Thursday's strikes on energy and water infrastructure, which were reported in cities and regions across Ukraine, including the capital Kyiv as well as Lviv in the west of the country and Kharkiv in the east.

Attacks were also reported in the Mykolaiv, Odesa, Sumy, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi, Lutsk, Rivne, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Volyn regions. There have been no reports of any casualties.

Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure during its invasion, and this was the second such strike in November alone.

Ukraine's government buildings in Kyiv are well-defended, and have not been struck so far by attacks from Russian forces.

Read more: Ukraine urged to lower conscription age to 18 in bid to quickly boost size of military

Read more: Lammy insists UK is not sending troops to Ukraine after Russia cautions against deploying soldiers-for-hire

Russia has claimed that its Oreshnik 'hazel tree' hypersonic missile is incapable of being intercepted, although some military experts have cast doubt on this, citing Israeli and American air defence systems.

Putin said that the missile strikes were a response to Ukraine using Western long-range missiles on Russian territory for the first time earlier this month. Some commentators dispute this, arguing that the attacks would have been planned for longer.

Speaking at a conference of former Soviet countries held in Kazakhstan, the Russian president said: "Of course, we will respond to the ongoing strikes on Russian territory with long-range Western-made missiles, as has already been said, including by possibly continuing to test the Oreshnik in combat conditions.

"At present, the Ministry of Defence and the General Staff are selecting targets to hit on Ukrainian territory. These could be military facilities, defence and industrial enterprises, or decision-making centres in Kyiv.

Speaking after Thursday morning's attacks on Ukraine, the country's energy minister German Galushchenko said: "Again, energy [infrastructure] has come under a massive blow from the enemy.

"Attacks on energy facilities are taking place throughout Ukraine."

He said that the country's electricity grid operator has "urgently introduced an emergency power outage."

Mr Galushchenko said people should take shelter and follow official updates.

Winter in Ukraine is cold, with temperatures in Kyiv currently hovering just above freezing.

In the Rivne regions, in western Ukraine, some 280,000 people were without power after the strikes, the local governor said.

In the Lutsk region, also in the west of the country, officials also reported a power cut.

In Kyiv, a business facility was damaged after debris fell on it, as well as a truck.

In Kharkiv, which is not far from the frontline in north-eastern Ukraine, an apartment building and a business sustained minor damage.