Putin ally calls mass Russian strike on Ukraine '1st episode'

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, currently the deputy chairman of the country's Security Council, called on Monday Russia's mass strike at Ukraine's infrastructure "the first episode."

"The first episode was played. There will be others," Medvedev said on Telegram.

Medvedev added that in his opinion, the Ukrainian political regime has to be dismantled.

"I will express my personal position. I can't help but mention it now. The Ukrainian state in its current configuration with the Nazi political regime will pose a constant, direct, and obvious threat to Russia.

"Therefore, in addition to protecting our people and protecting the borders of the country, the goal of our future actions, in my opinion, should be a full-fledged dismantling of the political regime of Ukraine," he said.

Medvedev is known for making loud and bellicose public statements, including about nuclear weapons.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that targets in Ukraine were hit in response to Saturday's explosion on the Kerch Bridge and other "terrorist attacks" carried out by Ukraine's intelligence.

While Kyiv has not explicitly claimed responsibility, multiple statements by top Ukrainian officials in the hours after Saturday's attack pointed to the possibility, including one from Ukraine's Presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak, who said the blast was just "the beginning."