President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that the Russian military must stop bombing Russian regions from Ukraine, which he said has left many people homeless or without electricity.

Putin spoke at a government meeting on the restoration of destroyed buildings and infrastructure in the regions of the south-west of Russia on the border with Ukraine, Reuters and Agerpres write.

“Of course, the first priority is to eliminate the very possibility of bombing. But this is a matter for the military department,” Putin said in a comment published on the Kremlin’s website.

Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the attacks on Russian soil, but has called them “karma” for Moscow’s invasion, which destroyed Ukrainian cities and systematically hit the country’s energy infrastructure, often leaving people without electricity and water in the middle of winter. Reuters notes.

Putin complains that many Russians “found themselves in a difficult situation, lost their homes”

Putin cited the Russian regions of Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk, as well as Crimea, annexed in 2014, as areas where homes were damaged or destroyed.

People face “very acute” problems and need reparations and compensation, he added.

“Many people found themselves in a difficult situation, lost their homes, were forced to move to relatives or temporary accommodation, faced interruptions with water, heat and electricity,” he added.

His comments signaled Moscow’s frustration with the frequency of attacks in southern Russia, which have included strikes on targets such as power stations and weapons and fuel depots, Reuters said.

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