Putin's chilling warning. Military aggression to escalate as Ukraine 'terror' unfolds

"What has recently transpired in Belgorod is undeniably a terrorist act," Putin provocatively asserted while addressing his soldiers in the hospital. "They have fired from multiple rocket launchers [...] right into the city center, where people are preparing for the New Year," he added, as quoted by Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

During his discussion with the soldiers, Putin falsely insisted that Russia's goal was not to target civilians. "We are precisely striking places where such decisions are made, locations housing soldiers and mercenaries, primarily military facilities. These attacks effectively make their mark," he claimed. He labeled Ukraine's attacks on civilians an attempt to intimidate Russia.

Putin assured that Ukraine's strikes would be met with an escalated response from Moscow in the form of intensified military actions. "We will certainly magnify the scale of the attacks mentioned. No such crime [...] will go unpunished; this is certain, there is no room for doubt," Putin said.

In discussions with the soldiers, Putin maintained that Ukraine itself is not Russia's enemy. According to him, the enemies are those who desire Moscow's downfall and the destruction of Russian statehood. These so-called 'enemies' purportedly include Western countries aiming to achieve these goals through Ukraine.

In addition, Putin extolled Russia's ability to repair and manufacture weapons and military equipment and adapt to war conditions. "Firstly, we possess means to overcome that no other army in the world has. Secondly, we can utilize all that is available to us. Thirdly, required resources are swiftly made available," the Russian leader asserted.

Ukrainian police and local authorities have reported on the impact of Monday's attacks by the Russian army on the Kherson, Kharkiv, and Donetsk regions. As a result of the bombings, which also affected residential buildings, three people were killed, and three others were injured. Enemy drones were also spotted in the Kyiv region.

"An unmanned aircraft was detected in the airspace. Our air defense forces are identifying their targets," a statement on Telegram read.