Criticizes Biden’s Actions Amid Growing Tensions with Ukraine

Jotirmoy Roy, AB News, New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday expressed serious concerns about the safety of the newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump. Speaking to journalists in Kazakhstan, Putin remarked that while Trump had passed a significant test by winning the election, his safety remained at risk. According to CNN, Putin noted that Trump had faced multiple attempts on his life, with two assassination attempts already reported and emphasized that he must remain vigilant.

Trump’s Safety Under Threat, Putin Warns

Putin highlighted that several “wrong methods” had been employed in efforts to stop Trump, including two assassination attempts. He referred to an attack on Trump during a speech in Pennsylvania in July, where the president was mildly injured and another attempt in September at a Florida golf course that failed. Putin pointed out that the history of U.S. politics is fraught with such violent incidents, with many prominent leaders falling victim to assassination. He expressed hope that Trump fully understood the gravity of these threats.

“Trump must remain cautious,” Putin added, emphasizing that such attacks were not new to American politics.

In his remarks, Putin also drew a sharp contrast between how politicians’ families are treated in Russia and the U.S. He expressed concern over the criticism leveled against Trump’s family, saying, “In Russia, even bad people do not involve their families in such matters.”

Putin Criticizes Biden’s Policy on Ukraine

Putin also shifted his focus to the ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine, making remarks regarding U.S. President Joe Biden’s policies. Putin suggested that Biden’s administration was intentionally making things difficult for Trump, adding that he believed Trump, described by Putin as a “smart politician,” would eventually find a solution to end the war in Ukraine.

In the same breath, Putin expressed hope that relations between Russia and the U.S. could improve once Trump returns to power. He acknowledged that Trump had frequently stated during his election campaign that he could end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours, though he did not specify how he intended to achieve that.

Russian Threats of Increased Missile Attacks on Ukraine

Putin’s comments came in the wake of Russia’s intense missile and drone strikes on Ukraine, which occurred on Thursday, targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Putin claimed that the attacks were in retaliation for Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory using long-range ATACMS missiles. Russia has long maintained that it only strikes in response to attacks from Ukraine.

In his remarks, Putin also warned that further attacks on Kyiv could be imminent, reaffirming Russia’s stance that it does not initiate strikes without provocation.

Ukraine’s Energy Infrastructure Severely Damaged Following Russian Strikes

The Russian attacks have exacerbated the ongoing energy crisis in Ukraine. Following the latest missile strikes, Ukraine’s Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko confirmed that most of the country’s energy infrastructure had been severely damaged, causing widespread power outages. According to BBC reports, nearly one million people were left without electricity in temperatures that dipped to freezing point.

Halushchenko stated that the Ukrainian national power grid operator had been forced to implement emergency power cuts, particularly affecting cities like Kyiv, Odessa, Dnipro and Donetsk. This marks the 11th such attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure this year alone.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 24 February 2022, there have been repeated assaults on the country’s energy grid, resulting in rolling blackouts and urgent energy shortages. The situation remains dire, with millions of Ukrainians facing harsh winter conditions without access to heat or power.

The continued conflict and the severe toll it has taken on Ukraine’s civilian population show no sign of abating, while the geopolitical tensions between Russia, the U.S. and Ukraine escalate further.