Putin: Ukraine Opened 'Pandora's Box' With Strikes on Economic Targets

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in comments published Saturday to a state television journalist, said Kyiv had opened a "Pandora's box" by striking Russian economic targets, and warned that Russia would retaliate against Ukraine's "most sensitive economic sectors."

Over the summer, Ukraine intensified a campaign of drone strikes against Russian economic infrastructure, including oil refineries and warehouses used by online retailers, aiming to disable assets it considers essential to Russia's war effort. Russia has answered with its own strikes on Ukrainian economic infrastructure, notably grain export facilities on the Black Sea.

"The Kyiv regime set out to damage our economy. What did it do? It opened this Pandora's box itself. Well then, expect a response targeting your most sensitive economic sectors," Putin said.

Grain exports and global supply

Putin argued that the strikes threatening Ukraine's agricultural exports would not trigger a global food shortage, since Russia could make up for lost Ukrainian supply on world markets — even as Kyiv has also targeted Russian grain export infrastructure. "We do face challenges regarding the shipment of our goods, but we will resolve these issues. Consequently, there will be no shortage on the global market," he said.

Russia and Ukraine previously observed a Turkish-brokered deal protecting Black Sea grain exports, but Moscow withdrew from the arrangement in 2023.

Putin also reiterated that Moscow remains open to peace negotiations, but only on the basis of "realities on the ground," dismissing what he called "exotic" proposals he said Ukraine had put forward through intermediaries.