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Putin Says Russia Won't Target Ukraine's Leadership—For Now
(MENAFN) Russian President Vladimir Putin stated Tuesday that Moscow is holding off on striking Ukraine's military and political leadership, explaining that Russia will eventually need Ukrainian negotiators at the table should Kyiv pursue dialogue.
"We need some people for negotiations ... if they understand that they want to resolve issues peacefully," Putin said at a news conference in Bishkek following the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.
He warned that Russia would retaliate if Ukrainian authorities persist in what he characterized as terrorist actions.
On the war in Ukraine
Putin revealed that Moscow had issued military orders to prepare and execute large-scale strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, framing the move as a direct response to what he called ongoing Ukrainian assaults on Russian civilian sites and fuel and energy facilities.
"They strike ours, they will receive a response," he said, noting that a wave of drones attempted to penetrate air defenses over Moscow and St. Petersburg overnight, striking civilian targets including three oil refineries.
Turning to the battlefield, Putin claimed Russian troops were accelerating their offensive momentum. He said Russian forces seized 270 square kilometers (104 square miles) of territory and 15 settlements in the Donetsk region throughout August, along with nine settlements in the Zaporizhzhia region, where fighting continues in the central districts of Orikhiv.
Putin also took aim at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's warning that civilian aircraft face danger in Russian airspace, arguing that if the remarks were meant as threats, they constituted "a claim to state terrorism."
"And I'd like to point out that they're asking us to resume negotiations, asking for personal meetings with terrorists, but they're not negotiating," he said. "But that's the first point. And secondly, in the same section, if, God forbid, such tragedies occur, we'll find a way to respond."
Putin said roughly 100 Russian vessels have sustained damage from Ukrainian strikes over the past 40 days, including the deaths of foreign sailors, adding that while the attacks have inflicted economic losses, they pose no critical threat to Russia.
"And the total damage, according to our preliminary estimates, was quite significant, about 1% of GDP. This is not critical damage for us," he said.
He noted that before Moscow launched retaliatory strikes on Ukrainian exports, Kyiv was earning $3 billion a month from grain and agricultural sales, and cautioned that losing that export revenue could spark a trio of crises in Ukraine—currency, budget, and banking.
Asked about rumors of a sweeping new mobilization drive, Putin brushed off the allegations, labeling such reports an "information attack" on Russia.
On potential peace talks
Putin signaled Russia's willingness to broaden peace negotiations, provided new participants can offer a tangible contribution to a process he described as largely stalled.
"If anyone makes or can make a concrete contribution to this process, we are all for it. The only thing is, I wouldn't want everything to spin in a senseless manner," he said.
He added that Moscow prefers working with familiar, trusted figures, singling out U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, whom he praised as sincere and dedicated to giving the talks real substance.
Asked about Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's July proposal to freeze the conflict, Putin replied, "Of course, we want that too."
"Only not to freeze it. We want to end the war and achieve lasting, absolute peace in Ukraine and in Europe," he added.
On Russia's foreign policy
Addressing ties with Yerevan, Putin said Russia would withdraw its military base from Armenia if the Armenian government determines it's no longer needed.
"If Armenia considers that the Russian base in Armenia is not needed militarily, we will leave tomorrow," he said.
He also weighed in on Armenia's ambitions to join the European Union, noting that EU membership is incompatible with participation in the Eurasian Economic Union due to conflicting regulatory standards.
"If you have decided to move toward the EU, please, this is the sovereign decision of any country," he said, calling for calm dialogue with Armenia going forward.
On Germany's accusations that Russia played a role in an attempted drone incident at Leipzig Airport, Putin suggested Berlin's claims stemmed largely from domestic political pressures.
Regarding the United Kingdom, Putin declared that any British military installations in Ukraine would be considered legitimate Russian targets. Pressed on whether the U.K.'s military-industrial sites could also come under threat, he replied only, "It's a secret, a military secret."
He additionally placed blame on Japan for worsening bilateral relations, insisting Moscow had taken no provocative steps and remains open to talks on a peace treaty and humanitarian matters.
"The deterioration of our relations is entirely the responsibility of the Japanese government," he said.
"We need some people for negotiations ... if they understand that they want to resolve issues peacefully," Putin said at a news conference in Bishkek following the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.
He warned that Russia would retaliate if Ukrainian authorities persist in what he characterized as terrorist actions.
On the war in Ukraine
Putin revealed that Moscow had issued military orders to prepare and execute large-scale strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, framing the move as a direct response to what he called ongoing Ukrainian assaults on Russian civilian sites and fuel and energy facilities.
"They strike ours, they will receive a response," he said, noting that a wave of drones attempted to penetrate air defenses over Moscow and St. Petersburg overnight, striking civilian targets including three oil refineries.
Turning to the battlefield, Putin claimed Russian troops were accelerating their offensive momentum. He said Russian forces seized 270 square kilometers (104 square miles) of territory and 15 settlements in the Donetsk region throughout August, along with nine settlements in the Zaporizhzhia region, where fighting continues in the central districts of Orikhiv.
Putin also took aim at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's warning that civilian aircraft face danger in Russian airspace, arguing that if the remarks were meant as threats, they constituted "a claim to state terrorism."
"And I'd like to point out that they're asking us to resume negotiations, asking for personal meetings with terrorists, but they're not negotiating," he said. "But that's the first point. And secondly, in the same section, if, God forbid, such tragedies occur, we'll find a way to respond."
Putin said roughly 100 Russian vessels have sustained damage from Ukrainian strikes over the past 40 days, including the deaths of foreign sailors, adding that while the attacks have inflicted economic losses, they pose no critical threat to Russia.
"And the total damage, according to our preliminary estimates, was quite significant, about 1% of GDP. This is not critical damage for us," he said.
He noted that before Moscow launched retaliatory strikes on Ukrainian exports, Kyiv was earning $3 billion a month from grain and agricultural sales, and cautioned that losing that export revenue could spark a trio of crises in Ukraine—currency, budget, and banking.
Asked about rumors of a sweeping new mobilization drive, Putin brushed off the allegations, labeling such reports an "information attack" on Russia.
On potential peace talks
Putin signaled Russia's willingness to broaden peace negotiations, provided new participants can offer a tangible contribution to a process he described as largely stalled.
"If anyone makes or can make a concrete contribution to this process, we are all for it. The only thing is, I wouldn't want everything to spin in a senseless manner," he said.
He added that Moscow prefers working with familiar, trusted figures, singling out U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, whom he praised as sincere and dedicated to giving the talks real substance.
Asked about Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's July proposal to freeze the conflict, Putin replied, "Of course, we want that too."
"Only not to freeze it. We want to end the war and achieve lasting, absolute peace in Ukraine and in Europe," he added.
On Russia's foreign policy
Addressing ties with Yerevan, Putin said Russia would withdraw its military base from Armenia if the Armenian government determines it's no longer needed.
"If Armenia considers that the Russian base in Armenia is not needed militarily, we will leave tomorrow," he said.
He also weighed in on Armenia's ambitions to join the European Union, noting that EU membership is incompatible with participation in the Eurasian Economic Union due to conflicting regulatory standards.
"If you have decided to move toward the EU, please, this is the sovereign decision of any country," he said, calling for calm dialogue with Armenia going forward.
On Germany's accusations that Russia played a role in an attempted drone incident at Leipzig Airport, Putin suggested Berlin's claims stemmed largely from domestic political pressures.
Regarding the United Kingdom, Putin declared that any British military installations in Ukraine would be considered legitimate Russian targets. Pressed on whether the U.K.'s military-industrial sites could also come under threat, he replied only, "It's a secret, a military secret."
He additionally placed blame on Japan for worsening bilateral relations, insisting Moscow had taken no provocative steps and remains open to talks on a peace treaty and humanitarian matters.
"The deterioration of our relations is entirely the responsibility of the Japanese government," he said.
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