Russian presidential elections: Vladimir Putin promises to respond to Kyiv’s attacks on his land

In the midst of an election, he says he doesn’t want to be intimidated. Just ahead of the online vote, Vladimir Putin on Friday vowed his country would respond to recent Ukrainian bombings on its territory and condemned incursions by pro-Ukrainian militants in an “attempt” to “disrupt” the presidential election in which he is set to be re-elected. elected in the absence of candidates who directly contradict his policies.

Russians have been called to the polls since Friday morning, and in recent days there has been a rise in ground attacks, drone strikes and artillery strikes on the Russian side of the border with Ukraine, leaving several people dead and injured, according to authorities.

“These enemy strikes do not and will not go unpunished,” the Russian president assured during a televised meeting of his security council.

Speaking specifically about land invasions, he assured that “in all directions the enemy had no success, he was repulsed everywhere and retreated, or rather, fled with heavy losses.”

“Disrupted” voting process

According to him, such attacks from Ukraine on Russian territory “are aimed at disrupting the voting process and intimidating the population, at least in the regions bordering Ukraine.”

Vladimir Putin, who regularly praises the “unity” of Russian society after more than two years of conflict in Ukraine despite heavy Western sanctions, struck a chord again in his speech.

“I am confident that our people, the Russian people, will respond with even greater unity,” he said, promising that the nation would not allow itself to be “intimidated” despite the “civilian losses.” The Kremlin’s current master, in power for almost a quarter of a century, is due to be re-elected on Sunday without opposition after three days of voting.