Russia Eyes Decision-Making Centers in Kyiv as Ukraine Faces Energy Crisis

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a warning that strikes on Ukrainian "decision-making centers," including in Kyiv, may be targeted in response to ongoing attacks on Russian territory using long-range Western missiles. Putin announced this during a meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization in Kazakhstan, referencing Ukraine's use of US-supplied ATACMS ballistic missiles, which reportedly struck western Russia on November 19.

Putin revealed that Russia tested its new hypersonic Oreshnik missile in response on November 21, targeting the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. The missile, according to the Russian president, has power comparable to a nuclear weapon when used in massive strikes and is reportedly incapable of being intercepted. Although Russian strikes have yet to target key government buildings in Kyiv, Putin emphasized that further missile testing could occur in retaliation for continued attacks on Russian soil.

Early Monday morning, air raid sirens echoed across Ukraine as Russian missile attacks targeted the country's energy infrastructure. Explosions were reported in multiple cities, forcing thousands of people into shelters, with many Kyiv residents spending hours in metro stations. "Our mornings start with checking for air raid alerts. We are exhausted by this constant threat," said Olha Vainrich, a resident of Kyiv. The strikes have left nearly a million Ukrainians without power, and in some areas, water supplies have also been disrupted. In Lviv, around 500,000 people remain without electricity, highlighting the widespread impact of the assault.

Ukraine's Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko described the attacks as a large-scale offensive on energy facilities nationwide. Ukrenergo, the national...