Russian Defense Ministry Says It Struck Kyiv in Response to "Kyiv Regime's Actions"

Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces struck Kyiv in response to what it described as actions by the "Kyiv regime," according to TASS.

The ministry said Russian forces will increase strikes on military and defense industry facilities located in Kyiv and other regions of Ukraine.

Framing of the strikes

The Russian ministry's statement characterizes the strikes as a response to prior Ukrainian actions, though the report does not specify which particular actions by Ukraine prompted the stated response.

The announcement of plans to intensify strikes on military and defense-related facilities suggests an expansion, rather than a reduction, of the current pace of Russian military operations against targets in Ukraine.

Context

Russian strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities have continued intermittently since the start of the full-scale invasion, with both sides regularly issuing competing characterizations of military actions and their justifications.