Putin warns terror threats rising in Russia, blames Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Tuesday that terrorist risks inside Russia are on the rise, as he addressed a meeting on election security. He directly accused Ukraine of resorting to terror tactics to disrupt Moscow's military progress.

Accusations against Kyiv

“The risks of terrorist threats are growing. The structures of international terrorism, radical and extremist groups continue their subversive work. Moreover, we know that the Kyiv regime and its patrons have switched to openly terrorist methods,” Putin said. He charged that Ukraine now relies on “terror, both against military personnel and against civilians,” adding that such methods would not change the course of events but still needed to be contained.

Drone strikes and election concerns

Putin pointed to increasing drone attacks on civilian infrastructure, citing strikes on energy facilities in Tuapse as a recent example. “That could potentially lead to serious environmental consequences,” he noted. He emphasized that security concerns are particularly acute ahead of the upcoming election campaign, including the September vote for the State Duma’s ninth convocation and large-scale regional elections. “Our priority is the security of all participants in the elections, particularly those on the Ukrainian territories currently under Russia’s control,” the president said.