Russian President Vladimir Putin has met with his military chiefs on the same day his forces launched another wave of missiles at Ukrainian infrastructure.
Mr. Putin spent much of Friday at the “special military operations” headquarters discussing ideas about what Russia’s next move should be.
It comes after some Ukrainian military officials claimed that Russia was possibly planning an attack as early as next year.
Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power grid have left millions of people in the dark.
Footage of Friday’s meeting showed Mr Putin with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Armed Forces Chief Valery Gerasimov.
“We will listen to the commanders in each operational direction, and I would like to hear your suggestions on our immediate and medium-term measures,” the Kremlin leader was seen telling military officials on state TV.
General Gerasimov’s presence quells rumors circulating online that he has been dismissed from his post. The 67-year-old has been heavily criticized by observers, who have accused him of being too cautious.
Air Force General Sergei Sarvokin – who was appointed Russia’s commander in Ukraine in October – was also at the meeting, images released by state media showed.
Ukrainian forces have made several major advances in recent months, including retaking Kherson, the only major city still held by Russian forces.
And the military bosses have faced continued criticism from pro-Kremlin media figures since the end of Moscow’s forces in eastern Ukraine earlier this year.
The meeting came after Ukrainian army commander General Valery Zlozny claimed that Moscow could try to launch a new offensive as early as 2023.
“I have no doubt that he will visit Kyiv again,” he added. “I know how many combat units I have right now, how many combat units I have to build by the end of the year – and the most important thing is to not touch them in any way now. No matter how hard it is. Don’t be.”
He added that the attack could start “in the direction of Kyiv” and could be launched from Belarus.
In February, Russian troops advanced toward the Ukrainian capital Kyiv after crossing the border into Belarus.
While the country’s leader, Alexander Lukashenko, has repeatedly denied that his forces would be involved in the attack, thousands of Russian troops are currently in the country in what Moscow’s defense ministry has called “intense combat training”. .
Mr Putin will meet his Belarusian counterpart in Minsk on Monday.
But analysts have questioned Russia’s ability to mount a new attack on the Ukrainian capital, and White House spokesman John Kirby said US intelligence officials “see no indication of any immediate action on Kyiv.” “.
Senior U.S. defense officials told JEE News that Russia has been forced to use decades-old munitions that burn through its own supply.
He added that “the rate of fire at which Russia is using its artillery and rocket munitions” could run out of reliable ammunition by early 2023.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said on Saturday that power had been restored to about six million people after the latest wave of Russian attacks targeting the country’s energy grid.
Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said the city’s metro system had restarted and water supplies had been restored.
He also posted pictures on Telegram of a giant Christmas tree built to meet the winter constraints of war. He said that the tree will be lit by generator powered energy saving bulbs.
Power has also been restored in the country’s second city, Kharkiv, officials said, after being left without power for hours on Friday following a wave of strikes that hit energy stations across the country.
Since the wave of attacks on power infrastructure began on October 10, Russia has launched more than 1,000 missiles and Iranian-made attack drones. International leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, have said that these attacks amount to a war crime.
Britain’s Ministry of Defense says there has been an “escalation” of Russia’s long-range missile campaign against critical infrastructure in Ukraine in recent days.
