Putin Discusses Damage from Strikes Against Russia

During a meeting of the Strategic Development and National Projects Council, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that strikes against industrial facilities are damaging to Russia, but do not cause critical consequences.

The country’s leader stated that various factors, including external pressure and terrorist attacks on infrastructure and industrial facilities, affect economic indicators. He emphasized that there have been no critical consequences from these strikes, nor will there be, although the damage inflicted is evident, understandable, and visible.

According to the president, it is vital to strengthen the sovereignty of the state and enhance effectiveness in both defense and security, as well as in social and economic spheres. Putin added that the dynamics of the economy remain in a "moderate but positive" territory, with GDP growth around 1%. The figures for the first half of the year stood at 0.6%, while the second quarter saw a growth of 1.3%.

At the end of June, the head of state had instructed to minimize the impact of attacks by the Ukrainian armed forces and promised that responses to these strikes would be "asymmetrical" and "several times more powerful."