Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday issued a warning, suggesting Russia had targeted “decision-making areas” in Kyiv, including federal departments and the mayor’s office, using its fresh Oreshnik hypersonic missile.
This comes as a reaction to Ukraine’s usage of Western-supplied missiles to attack Russian territory, escalating conflicts in the 33-month issue.
Putin addressed the new rollout of the Oreshnik, which Russia claims first tested in battle last week in Dnipro, Ukraine, during a conference of former Soviet says in Kazakhstan. The weapon, touted by Putin as capable of intrusion, has been met with skepticism by American authorities.
” Of course, we will respond to the continuous attacks on Soviet territory… perhaps continuing to test the Oreshnik in combat parameters”, Putin said, adding that Russia’s security forces are now identifying potential targets in Ukraine.
Intensified attacks and escalating markets
The remarks come after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s large overnight Russian assault on Ukraine was referred to as a “despicable intensification.” More than a million Ukrainians were without power as a result of the invasion, Zelenskyy claimed, which included cruise missiles and cluster munitions. Russia framed the rape as retribution for Ukraine’s usage of US-supplied ATACMS weapons, which Kyiv apparently deployed against Soviet targets, including in the Kursk area, over the past year.
Moscow responded to the Oreshnik two days after Ukraine launched its first ATACMS attack on Russian soil on November 19. Following Western approval for deeper strikes into Russian territory, Kyiv has also used British Storm Shadow cruise missiles. Putin emphasized that these actions reflect the West’s “direct involvement” in the conflict.
New hypersonic weapon Oreshnik
The Oreshnik missile, described by Putin as a weapon of unparalleled destructive power, reportedly reached speeds of 13, 600 kph (8, 450 mph ) during its November 21 deployment. During the test, Ukrainian officials noted that the missile had dummy warheads, but experts from Western security are concerned that it might have been loaded with nuclear payloads.
Zelenskyy has urged the world to condemn Russia’s use of the Oreshnik and condemn it as a war’s grave escalation. The heightened exchanges also rekindled nuclear fears, particularly now that Putin has recently expanded Russia’s nuclear doctrine to include additional circumstances that warrant nuclear weapon deployment.
