On the 21st, the sky over Dnipro in central-eastern Ukraine was engulfed in massive flames and smoke pillars. On this day, Russia announced that it had launched its new hypersonic mid-range ballistic missile, the ‘Oresnik,’ at the Dnipro region. The right photo shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mourning the deceased during the 2014 pro-European Maidan protests against the pro-Russian government in Kyiv.
■ Hinting at Possible Western Targets
Ukraine downplays as “ICBM” analysis
Declares “immediate response to attacks”
While stating “always prefers peaceful dispute resolution”
Considering Trump’s inauguration, sends friendly message
Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared that Russia has used the new hypersonic mid-range ballistic missile in the Ukraine attack in response to the hostile actions of the West, including the United States. This move discredits Ukraine’s ability to analyze by claiming they used an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), while raising the warning level towards the U.S. and Europe for permitting missile attacks on Russian territory.
In a national address on the 21st, President Putin stated, “In response to the missile weapons used by the U.S. and the UK, the Russian military launched a combined attack on one of the military industrial complex facilities in Ukraine today.” He introduced the new hypersonic mid-range ballistic missile as ‘Oresnik’ (Hazelnut), mentioning it was part of a test among the latest Russian mid-range missile systems. He also confirmed that “the test was successful and the launch objectives were met,” clearly framing the missile strike as a retaliation against Ukraine’s attacks on Russian territory on the 19th and 20th with U.S.-made ATACMS and UK-made Storm Shadow missiles. The White House National Security Council (NSC) also stated that “Russia has launched a mid-range ballistic missile as part of a test.”
President Putin emphasized that the missile test serves as a warning to the West. He noted that Oresnik attacks targets at a speed of Mach 10, which is 2.5 to 3 km per second, and claimed, “There are currently no means to counter such weapons. The latest air defense systems worldwide, as well as the missile defense systems of the U.S. and Europe, cannot intercept such missiles.” He further stated, “We have the right to use our weapons against the military facilities of any country that allows the use of their weapons to attack our facilities. If aggressive actions escalate, we will correspondingly respond,” adding that “the target for additional tests of the latest missile systems will be determined based on assessments of threats to Russian security.” This implies that should the West expand its support for Ukraine, Russia may not hesitate to attack those countries or launch ICBMs.
However, President Putin also conveyed a friendly message, considering the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, by saying, “We have always preferred to resolve disputes peacefully and remain prepared for any scenario.” The Kremlin announced that the U.S. was notified 30 minutes prior to the missile launch via an automated nuclear proliferation prevention hotline. On the same day, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) spokesperson Pera Dacla stressed that “Russia’s missile attack will not deter the support of NATO allies for Ukraine.”
■ Glossary
Oresnik = It is the newly disclosed hypersonic mid-range ballistic missile from Russia, reaching speeds of Mach 10. Western experts analyze that Oresnik is capable of being equipped with nuclear warheads and has a range of within 5,500 km, which could cover the entire European region.