Vladimir Putin.
Russia can attack kyiv at any time but does not do so “for various reasons” that cannot be disclosed publicly, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared last night.
“Russia destroyed five Patriot (anti-aircraft) systems in the vicinity of Kiev and why would it be difficult for it to destroy a building or installation in the center of Kiev? Of course not. But it does not do so for various reasons,” insisted the head of the Kremlin, speaking at a plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
Putin commented to the American political scientist Dimitri K. Simes – moderator of the session – that the reasons for not attacking kyiv are several and that he can list them, but not publicly, reproduced the Sputnik news agency.
He also considered that kyiv’s attacks on the Russian province of Belgorod, which borders Ukraine, was an attempt to provoke Moscow into taking powerful retaliatory actions.
“It was an attempt to provoke us into taking powerful retaliatory actions. It was also an attempt to cause damage to the Kremlin and the residence of the Russian president,” he said.
The 26th edition of the International Economic Forum is held in the Russian city of Saint Petersburg from June 14 to 17.
Source: Ambito
