MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that a massive Russian overnight attack on Ukrainian infrastructure was a response to Kyiv’s attacks on Russian regions using longer-range Western missiles.

Ukrainian officials said that Russia had unleashed its second big attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure this month on Thursday, cutting power to more than 1 million people in the west, south, and centre of the country.

Speaking in Astana, Kazakhstan, Putin told members of a security alliance made up of ex-Soviet states:

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“Tonight we conducted a comprehensive strike using 90 missiles of similar classes and 100 drones. Seventeen targets were hit.

“These are military facilities, defence industry facilities and their support systems. Let me repeat once again: these strikes on our part also took place in response to the ongoing strikes (by Ukraine) on Russian territory with American ATACMS missiles. As I have already said many times, there will always be a response from our side.”