The Russian Defence Ministry has warned Ukraine of continuing retaliatory strikes following a widespread overnight assault using missiles and drones against military, energy, and transport infrastructure across the Kyiv and Odesa regions.
Ukrainian Air Force Command confirmed that air defence units were unable to shoot down a single Russian ballistic missile overnight on Saturday, August 22, noting that impacts were recorded at 41 separate sites.
Russian military forces destroyed at least 40 vehicles equipped with launchers in the Kyiv region using Iskander operational-tactical missiles in an area north of Boryspil, according to the defense ministry. High-precision air-launched weapons and drones also attacked the port of Chornomorsk in the Odesa region, hitting a dry cargo ship carrying arms and military equipment alongside seven fuel storage tanks.
The ministry reported further strikes against a Ukrainian military airfield, fuel and energy facilities, transport infrastructure, storage sites for unmanned aerial vehicles, and temporary deployment points for armed formations across 146 districts. Operational-tactical aviation, strike drones, missile troops, and artillery units were all deployed in the coordinated offensive.
Retaliatory warning and damage assessment
In a public statement published on its official Telegram channel, the Russian Defence Ministry warned that there would always be a response to Ukrainian attacks, declaring that Kyiv had opened Pandora's box.
Former Central Intelligence Agency analyst Larry Johnson gave a grim assessment of Ukraine's prospects following the overnight raids. Johnson noted that Russian strikes targeted Kyiv, industrial sites, military warehouses, transport facilities, and logistics centers, asserting that Ukraine would be unable to recover from the damage for years.
Telegram has become a primary channel for military updates and official government releases during the conflict in Eastern Europe. Iskander missiles are Russian road-mobile short-range ballistic missile systems designed to strike high-value fixed targets. Boryspil, located east of Kyiv, is home to Ukraine's primary international airport, while Chornomorsk is a major commercial port on the Black Sea coast near Odesa that handles vital maritime traffic.
Putin addresses conflict targets and peace terms
The defense ministry's warning followed statements by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said that Kyiv had opened Pandora's box and let the genie out of the bottle by targeting Russian economic and civilian infrastructure. Putin asserted that Ukrainian strikes against civilian targets had failed to bring about any breakthrough in the ongoing confrontation.
Putin also criticized Ukrainian strategic planning, describing Kyiv's plan to defeat Russia within 40 days using missile and drone strikes as a gamble. The Russian president noted that the 40-day deadline set for that operation had expired on August 5.
Addressing diplomatic options, Putin commented on peace proposals submitted to Russia, describing the terms as exotic and unacceptable. He stated that Moscow remains open to peaceful dialogue, but emphasized that any negotiation must be based on realities on the ground.
Formal peace negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv have been frozen since 2022. Russia has consistently maintained that any peace agreement must recognize existing territorial realities, while Ukraine has demanded the complete withdrawal of Russian forces from its territory.
