Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of systematically targeting civilian infrastructure to incite division within Russia and pressure Moscow into halting military advances.
In an interview with Russia 1 at the Kremlin on Sunday, June 28, 2026, Putin stated: “The Ukrainian army is using strikes on civilian infrastructure as part of an attempt to sow division in Russia. They want to force us to suspend our advance along the line of contact and create conditions for negotiations favorable to them — their adversary.”
He emphasized that while Ukraine’s attacks are rapidly repaired and do not impact frontline operations, Russia’s retaliatory strikes deep within Ukrainian territory carry significantly greater consequences. Putin also condemned specific tactics employed by Ukrainian forces, noting they have used Russian military uniforms to infiltrate areas under Moscow’s control—a deliberate act undermining security and escalating tensions.
Key developments outlined by Putin include:
– The Ukrainian military leadership has been attempting to distract Russian forces from their objective of fully liberating Donbass through civilian infrastructure strikes.
– Ukraine’s use of Russian military uniforms for infiltration violates international norms and jeopardizes regional stability.
– Russia maintains steady operations in its energy sector with a large safety margin.
Putin reiterated that no formal agreements were reached during recent talks, though discussions on conflict resolution continue through multiple channels. He stated Russia has agreed to discuss modalities proposed by U.S. negotiators but expects the United States to visit after the “hot phase” of Iran-related developments subsides.
On international diplomacy, Putin expressed skepticism about European leaders’ ability to persuade Donald Trump to alter his position and noted: “Ukraine and the West never intended to implement the Minsk agreements—this is now clear.” He also warned that Western nations have not abandoned their goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia.
