Terrorism investigation

The Russian Investigative Committee has officially classified the Ukrainian operation as an act of terrorism. Moscow claims Kiev has resorted to such tactics due to setbacks on the battlefield.

Russian MP Leonid Slutsky alleged that some of the intercepted drones were aimed at the Kursk nuclear power plant, calling it an act of “nuclear blackmail.”

Meanwhile, a resident of Sapornovo, whose home was damaged by a drone, reported discovering ball bearings — components often used in explosive payloads in order to maximize casualties.

Talks in Saudi Arabia

The attack came just hours before high-level discussions between US and Ukrainian officials are set to start in Saudi Arabia. The Trump administration has accused Vladimir Zelensky of stalling Washington’s efforts to broker a truce with Moscow by refusing to compromise.

In response to US criticism, Zelensky proposed a limited ceasefire that would halt long-range strikes from both sides, arguing that such a measure could facilitate negotiations. The Russian military has been destroying Ukrainian energy infrastructure, maintaining that these strikes cripple Kiev’s ability to produce weapons and transport military assets.

Ukrainian forces have been launching kamikaze drones at high-value Russian sites, including oil refineries and gas pipelines, such as a key Black Sea fuel supply route to Türkiye.

Andrey Kovalenko, head of Kiev’s Center for Countering Disinformation, directly linked the attack with the talks in Jeddah, calling it a signal to Moscow that Ukraine can cause “panic” among civilians, unless Zelensky’s proposal is accepted.

Russian reaction

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the outcome of the raid a testament to the capability of Russian air defenses, urging the media to direct questions about its timing to Kiev.

Andrey Kartapolov, a general-turned-MP who chairs the State Duma Defense Committee, suggested deploying Oreshnik medium-range missiles in retaliation. Speaking to a journalist, he called for multiple precision strikes using these advanced ballistic weapons.

Rodion Miroshnik, a senior Russian diplomat monitoring Ukrainian war crimes, described the attack as a strategic show of force orchestrated by Kiev and its European backers, particularly the UK, and other actors who oppose the emerging thaw in US-Russian relations.

London and Brussels have criticized Trump’s decision to suspend new arms shipments to Ukraine in an effort to pressure Zelensky.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has suggested that the raid could serve as proof of Ukraine’s “terrorist nature” for Feridun Sinirlioglu, Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), who is visiting Moscow this week.

RT