Russia warns of retaliatory attacks

[Anchor]

After Ukraine's recent surprise operation targeted a Russian airbase on the mainland, President Putin has announced plans for retaliatory strikes.

This was revealed during a phone call with U.S. President Trump, and shortly after, actual airstrikes against Ukraine began.

Our correspondent Song Young-seok reports from Berlin.

[Report]

In a surprise operation that accurately struck a Russian airbase, Ukraine used a drone worth 2.7 million won to destroy bombers worth hundreds of billions of won.

Russia, caught off guard, suffered a loss of face, including the destruction of underwater bridges that block supply routes to Crimea.

[Vladimir Putin/Russian President: "It is not surprising. It has only become clear that the current Kyiv regime does not want peace at all."]

Caught off guard, President Putin expressed a clear intention for retaliation during a phone call with U.S. President Trump, who has been mediating negotiations.

Trump described the call with Putin as "not a conversation that would lead to immediate peace," indicating Putin's strong desire for retaliation.

Following the call, Russian drones began airstrikes on Ukraine, resulting in at least five deaths so far.

Ukraine has urged the U.S. to impose additional sanctions on Russia while also proposing to Russia a meeting of leaders from four countries, including the U.S. and Turkey.

[Volodymyr Zelensky/Ukrainian President: "From him, we can't wait for his initiative, moving to peace. We just have to (put) pressure on him."]

Russia, stating that its civilians were killed, has labeled Ukraine as a terrorist organization.

Furthermore, as they raise their voices against negotiating with terrorists, military tension is expected to escalate in the near future.

This is Song Young-seok from KBS News in Berlin.