Kathmandu— Russia has pledged continued retaliation for Ukrainian strikes targeting civilians and infrastructure, asserting that such actions demonstrate Kiev’s unwillingness to negotiate. The warning came from Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova in an interview published Thursday, amid another exchange of long-range strikes between the two countries. Moscow accuses Ukraine of carrying out “terrorist attacks” while Russian forces continue their military operation aimed at achieving objectives set by President Vladimir Putin. Russia maintains it does not prefer escalation but will respond to emerging threats.

Escalation Concerns and Negotiation Stance

Zakharova stated that progress toward a settlement hinges on Ukraine and its Western allies abandoning what she described as the “dangerous illusion” of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia. She emphasized that escalation is not Moscow’s desired outcome, but reiterated that Russian forces will continue to respond proportionately to perceived threats. The comments followed another major exchange of strikes between both sides.

Recent Military Actions

The Russian Defense Ministry reported launching a large-scale missile and drone attack overnight against military-industrial facilities in and around Kiev. Targets included plants producing long-range drones, components for cruise missiles, and storage facilities containing fuel and UAV parts. Simultaneously, Russia claimed to have destroyed 726 Ukrainian drones across 20 regions during an overnight raid.

Russian Assessment of Ukrainian Attacks

Moscow has consistently condemned Ukrainian drone incursions as terrorist attacks targeting civilian infrastructure and residential areas within Russia. Officials claim these attacks are attempts to compensate for setbacks experienced by Ukraine on the battlefield, where Russian forces report continued advances. President Vladimir Putin acknowledged Wednesday that Ukrainian strikes have caused some damage to Russian industrial facilities but downplayed their overall impact, noting they haven’t had “critical consequences.” He previously warned in July that Russia's responses would be 'mirror-like' and 'several times more powerful'.

The ongoing exchange of strikes underscores the continued conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with both sides demonstrating a willingness to retaliate for attacks on their territory. No immediate prospects for negotiations were indicated.

(With inputs from RT)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.