Vladimir Putin ended his 13-day public absence by issuing a statement three days after Western missiles struck Russian territory. The Kremlin released his address, filmed in the same office where he announced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
What Putin said
On the consequences of the strikes
“As we have repeatedly emphasized, the regional conflict in Ukraine, provoked by the West, has now acquired elements of a global nature.”
On the attack in Bryansk region
“The fire at the ammunition depot in the Bryansk region caused by ATACMS missile debris has been extinguished. There were no casualties or significant damage.”
On the attack in Kursk region
According to Putin, this was a “combined missile strike involving British-made Storm Shadow and HIMARS systems.”“The attack targeted one of the command posts of our Northern grouping. Unfortunately, there are casualties, fatalities, and injuries among the external guard units and service personnel. However, the command and operational staff remain unharmed and continue to manage troop actions as usual.”
On Russia’s response
“In response to the use of American and British long-range weapons, on November 21, our armed forces carried out a combined strike on a Ukrainian defense-industrial facility. “Under combat conditions, we tested one of our latest medium-range missile systems, featuring a hypersonic ballistic missile in a non-nuclear configuration. Our missile specialists have named it ‘Oreshnik.’ The test was successful, and the target was hit. In Dnipro, one of Ukraine’s largest industrial complexes, known since Soviet times, was struck.”
Threat to countries supplying arms to Ukraine
“We consider it our right to use our weapons against military targets in countries that allow their weapons to be used against our facilities. In the case of further escalation, we will respond decisively and reciprocally.”
What we know about Oreshnik
Until now, no information about ‘Oreshnik’ was publicly available. Military analyst Yan Matveev speculates it might refer to a new modification of the RS-26 “Rubezh” missile, reportedly used in Ukraine. He noted that the range of such a missile typically falls between 1,000 and 5,500 km. “If this is accurate, the system is expensive and not produced in large numbers. Such missiles are typically stockpiled over years,” Matveev wrote. The pro-Russian Z-channel Military Informant also suggested that ‘Oreshnik’ is a modernized RS-26 “Rubezh.”
In July, during a Navy Day parade in St. Petersburg, Putin warned that if high-precision American missile systems were deployed in Germany, Russia would consider itself free from its self-imposed moratorium on deploying short- and medium-range missiles.
Tags: Putin Russia russia ukraine war Ukraine war
