President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russians must be "prepared for anything" as he hinted at an escalation of the conflict in Ukraine. Speaking at Russia's Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin offered no prospect of an early end to the four-year-long war.
"We must be prepared for anything," Putin stated when asked about the ongoing fuel queues, which he attributed to Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries. "Only our readiness for anything will give everyone who wants to harm us an understanding that it is better not to do so."
He also vowed to "launch retaliatory strikes" on Ukraine to deter further attacks on Russian oil refineries that have impacted the nation's fuel supplies. This warning follows a summer of frequent Ukrainian drone strikes targeting oil refineries and retail warehouses across Russia. In response, Russia has intensified its aerial bombardment of Ukraine, with reported strikes on food storage facilities and civilian areas.
Putin further dismissed the possibility of peace talks, labeling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's government as engaging in "state terrorism" due to recent long-range drone attacks. "We don't negotiate with terrorists," he said.
According to Russia's Defence Ministry, over 43,000 Ukrainian drones were intercepted over Russia and the illegally annexed Crimea between June and August. Ukraine has not officially disclosed its drone launch numbers, but President Zelensky has referred to these strikes as "long-range sanctions" aimed at pressuring Russia to end the war.
Ukrainian officials, meanwhile, suggest that Russia may be planning another mobilization following the country's legislative elections later this month. Putin has rejected these claims, characterizing them as an "information attack by the enemy."
In parallel, NATO leaders have raised concerns that Moscow is conducting an increasingly aggressive "hybrid" campaign involving sabotage, cyberattacks, and disinformation across Europe. Germany recently accused Russia of attempting to attack Leipzig/Halle Airport with an explosive-laden drone. This accusation came after two separate sabotage attempts in Germany, heightening fears of Russian interference with critical infrastructure. Key installations near a coal-fired power plant in Brandenburg were reportedly targeted with rockets, an incident Brandenburg's Interior Minister Jan Redmann described as an "act of sabotage." Separately, an act of vandalism was investigated at a power substation near Bergheim.
Germany, a supporter of Ukraine, has repeatedly accused Moscow of engaging in hybrid attacks, including espionage and sabotage, allegations that Russia denies. These developments follow recent threats from Putin directed at Britain. When questioned about whether British military industrial facilities on British territory could become targets, Putin responded cryptically, "That's a secret, a military secret," while confirming that any "British military facilities" within Ukraine were explicitly considered Russian targets. These remarks were made following the UK's agreement to supply Ukraine with blueprints for long-range missiles. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova had previously warned that "any British military installations and equipment in Ukraine and beyond its borders" could face retaliation for Ukrainian strikes using British weaponry.