Vladimir Putin this Monday threatened Ukraine with a “tough response” if it “continues its acts of terrorism” after the Russian army carried out a “massive attack” on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and other cities in the aftermath of the explosion. recorded on Saturday on the Kerch bridge, which connects the country with the Crimean peninsula annexed in 2014.

The Russian President confirmed “massive strikes with high-precision and long-range weapons” on various points in Ukraine and indicated that they were carried out “at the suggestion of the Ministry of Defense.” Putin said they reached “energy facilities, military commands and communications facilities,” he elaborated.

“If attempts to commit terrorist acts on our territory continue, Russia’s response will be tough and on a scale corresponding to the level of threats against the Russian Federation,” he said at a meeting with members of the Russian Security Council. This is reported by the Russian news agency TASS.

Similarly, he called “nuclear terrorism” the attacks by Ukrainian forces on the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which is under the control of Russian troops, and condemned that the Ukrainian intelligence services “carried out three terrorist attacks on the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant.” plant, Kursk, Russia.

Putin claimed that these “attacks” caused the cutting of three high-voltage lines and defended that “by the measures taken, the damage was repaired in the shortest possible time without serious consequences,” according to the Interfax news agency. .

“The Kyiv regime has been using terrorist methods for a long time,” he stressed, before accusing Ukraine of “killing public figures, journalists and scientists, both in Ukraine and in Russia.” “Terrorist attacks in Donbas have been going on for more than eight years. There are acts of nuclear terrorism,” he said.

For his part, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed that the latest explosion “is part of a special operation.” “We have to wait for the comments of the Ministry of Defense,” he argued, pointing out that “the main points of the special military operation cannot be completed without informing the commander in chief.”

Local authorities have so far confirmed the deaths of eight people as a result of terrorist attacks in Kyiv, four died in Slavyansk and another died in Zaporozhye. Explosions also reached other cities such as Lvov, Kharkiv, Itomyr and Dnipro.

The attacks came just hours after the Russian president blamed Ukrainian intelligence services for a “terrorist attack” on Saturday on the Kerch Bridge connecting Russia to the Crimean peninsula, partially disabling it and killing at least three person.

Agreement with Lukashenka on the introduction of joint troops

On the other hand, Putin also met with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko to agree on the deployment of joint troops in the region after the security meeting.

Lukashenka pointed out that the measure was taken “due to the deteriorating situation on the western border of both countries.” “If the threat level reaches the current level, as it is now, we will start using this group,” he said.

“I must inform you that the formation of this group has already begun. (…) I have already ordered its formation,” the Belarusian president said, according to BelTA.

Lukashenko, however, indicated that Russia “is not looking for this type of conflict right now.” “They have too many problems as it is. Therefore, we do not have a large number of Russian forces for the contingent,” he said.

“Be ready to receive these people in the near future and give them everything they need, as established and without escalating the situation,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement addressed to them.