Putin on attacking Ukraine infrastructure: ‘We’re doing it — but who started it?’

President Vladimir Putin described the Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities as a response to the actions of the Ukrainian military. During the Kremlin Golden Star award ceremony, Putin said to the guests:

There is a lot of noise about our strikes on the neighbor country’s energy infrastructure. Yes, we’re doing it — but who started it? Who attacked the Crimean Bridge? Who blew up the transmission lines to the Kursk NPP, who cut off the water supply to Donetsk? Cutting off water for millions of people is an act of genocide. No one anywhere said a word about this — everyone’s completely mum. As soon as we stir a little to do something in response — there’s a huge uproar the world over. This won’t get in the way of meeting our objectives.

• Since early October, Russia has conducted serial missile strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. All major thermal and hydroelectric stations in the country have sustained damage as a result. Civilian deaths have also been reported in connection with the Russian strikes.
• The Kremlin has repeatedly stated that these attacks were in response to the Crimean Bridge explosion in early October, when Russia blamed the incident on Ukraine. At other times, Moscow claimed that the strikes and air raids were an answer to the Western countries who deliver weapons to Ukraine.

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