Moscow could decide to strike those countries that have authorized Ukraine to use long-range missiles to strike deep into Russian territory. The warning comes directly from the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. “The conflict in Ukraine has acquired elements of a global character after attacks by Western long-range missiles against Russia,” the Kremlin chief said in a televised address to the nation. “It is impossible to use long-range weapons on Russian territory without specialists from the countries where they were produced, this is known,” the Russian president remarked. Hence the warning: «Russia considers itself authorized to use weapons against the military structures of countries that authorize the use of their weapons against Russia». Moscow, the Russian president further explained, “will respond decisively and speculate in the event of escalation”. Putin reassured his intention to resolve the disputes “by peaceful means”. But, at the same time, the message is clear: “Russia is ready for any development of events.”
The Russian president then announced that Moscow had tested a new intermediate-range missile in an attack on Ukraine. The move came in response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory with US and British missiles earlier in the week. Putin explained that advance warnings will be issued if there are further attacks with these missiles against Ukraine, to allow civilians to evacuate safely. This is also because, Putin underlined, “US air defense systems would not be able to intercept Russian missiles”. On the contrary, «Russian air defense systems repelled attacks by Western long-range missiles on the territory of Russia, the enemy’s objectives were not achieved». From Kiev the accusation is that the missile launched from Moscow “looks like an intercontinental ballistic missile”. According to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, Putin “is using Ukraine as a testing ground.” However, after initial information from the Ukrainian Air Force, a Western official raised doubts that it was indeed a missile of that caliber. The fact remains that long-range missiles represent a new phase of the war. As highlighted by the Russian ambassador to the United Kingdom, Andrei Kelin, with the use of British Storm Shadow missiles on Russian soil «Britain is now directly involved in the war».
“These fights cannot take place without the intervention of NATO and Great Britain,” the ambassador remarked. Zelensky’s presidential advisor, Mykhailo Podolyak, speaking to LaPresse about the use of Western missiles, highlighted how “the decisions of our partners will have an extremely important impact on the course of the war as a whole.” “Right now we are already seeing a panic reaction from Russia, which it is trying to disguise with classic ‘nuclear threats’ and the use of various missile formats for mass attacks against civilians,” commented Podolyak.
#Escalation #Mirror #response #conflict #global #Tempo
What are some of the unknowns surrounding the new “Oreshnik“ missile, as discussed in the interview?
## Interview Transcript:
**Host:** Joining us today is Dr. Elena Petrov, a political analyst specializing in Russian foreign policy. Dr. Petrov, thank you for being here.
**Dr. Petrov:** It’s my pleasure to be here.
**Host:** Let’s talk about the recent developments in Ukraine. President Putin announced that Russia launched a new type of missile, called “Oreshnik,” against a Ukrainian military facility. This comes after what Russia claims were attacks on its own territory using Western-supplied missiles. Can you shed some light on the significance of this escalation?
**Dr. Petrov:** This is a significant escalation indeed. While Russia has already been using long-range missiles against Ukraine, the “Oreshnik” appears to be a new weapon system. This, coupled with Putin’s explicit threat to target countries supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine, raises the stakes considerably.
**Host:** Putin mentioned that Russia considers itself authorized to strike the military structures of nations providing these missiles. What does this mean in practical terms?
**Dr. Petrov:** This is a clear warning to countries like the US and UK, signaling a potential expansion of the conflict beyond Ukrainian borders. It suggests that Russia is willing to directly target the infrastructure and military capabilities of those perceived as supporting Ukraine, potentially leading to a wider confrontation.
**Host:** The Ukrainians are questioning whether the missile fired by Russia was indeed an intercontinental ballistic missile, as initially reported. What do we know about this new “Oreshnik” missile?
**Dr. Petrov:** Information about the “Oreshnik” is scarce. Some media outlets are speculating that this could be a hypersonic missile, capable of traveling at extremely high speeds and making interception difficult. However, definitive details about its capabilities and range are still unclear. [ [1](https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-launches-intercontinental-ballistic-missile-attack-ukraine-kyiv-says-2024-11-21/) ]
**Host:** This situation is clearly very concerning. Where do you see this conflict heading now?
**Dr. Petrov:** It’s impossible to say for sure, but we are undoubtedly entering a more dangerous phase. The use of new, perhaps more powerful weapons, coupled with escalation rhetoric from both sides, isothermal signature increases the risks of a wider conflict. Diplomacy and de-escalation are more crucial than ever to prevent this war from spiraling out of control.
**Host:** Dr. Petrov, thank you for your insightful analysis.
**Dr. Petrov:** Thank you for having me.
