Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a stark warning regarding potential Russian strikes on key Ukrainian targets, including “decision-making centers” in Kyiv. The warning comes in response to Ukraine’s deployment of long-range Western-supplied weapons to strike deep within Russian territory.
While Russian attacks on Kyiv have so far been limited to government buildings, the Ukrainian capital remains heavily defended by advanced air defense systems. However, Putin emphasized that Russia’s new Oreshnik hypersonic missile, reportedly launched for the first time against a Ukrainian city last week, is capable of evading interception.
“We will respond to ongoing long-range missile strikes made with Western systems against Russian territory, as we have already stated,” Putin declared from Astana, Kazakhstan. He also hinted at the continued testing of the Oreshnik missile in combat, referencing its deployment on November 21.
Putin elaborated on potential targets: “The Ministry of Defense and the General Staff are currently determining the objectives within Ukrainian territory. These could include military installations, defense and industrial enterprises, or decision-making centers in Kyiv.”
Tensions escalated following Russia’s announcement that Ukraine had used U.S.-made ATACMS missiles on November 19 to strike the western part of Russian territory. In retaliation, Moscow launched the Oreshnik hypersonic missile at the city of Dnipro on November 21.
Russia has since accused Ukraine of repeated ATACMS missile strikes, targeting the Kursk region on November 23 and 25. These developments mark a significant intensification in the use of advanced missile technology on both sides.
Putin also highlighted Russia’s military production capabilities, asserting that the country’s output of advanced missile systems surpasses NATO’s by a factor of ten. He further vowed to bolster this capacity, reinforcing Moscow’s commitment to maintaining its strategic advantage.
Source: ANA-MPA, Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
