ST. PETERSBURG, June 16. /TASS/. Ukraine's attacks on the Kremlin, Belgorod Region and other Russian regions are attempts to provoke Moscow to retaliate with powerful actions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"Everything you’ve listed is an attempt to provoke us to retaliate with serious, powerful actions. The attempt to damage the Kremlin, the residence of the President of the Russian Federation, the attacks on the Belgorod Region, the neighboring Russian regions - all this is an attempt to provoke us to retaliate," the head of state said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

According to Putin, such attacks are also "an attempt to divert [attention] from the main possible areas of the main attack they have planned". "An attempt to force us to redeploy some units trained for other combat areas," he said.

The 26th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) — Russia’s showcase annual economic and business event — is being held on June 14-17. The theme of this year’s forum is: "Sovereign Development as the Basis of a Just World: Joining Forces for Future Generations." TASS is the official information partner of the event.