Russia Uses New Missile in Ukraine, Putin Warns Western Countries

Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared that a strike by his forces on the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Thursday morning was executed using “a new conventional intermediate-range missile”. He stated that the missile, designated Oreshnik, was deployed in response to Ukraine’s use of long-range weaponry from the US and UK to target locations within Russia. Putin added that Russia might attack military facilities in those countries that permitted their weapons to be utilized for this purpose. The US and the UK authorized the use of US ATACMS and UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles this week, representing a significant policy alteration. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky characterized Russia’s deployment of the new missile as “a clear and severe escalation in the scale and brutality of this war.” He posted on X, stating, “[This] is yet more proof that Russia has no interest in peace,” and further remarked: “Putin is not only prolonging the war – he is spitting in the face of those in the world who genuinely want peace to be restored.” Earlier, Zelensky had indicated the missile possessed characteristics of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), although Western officials expressed skepticism regarding this theory. Meanwhile, the US National Security Council reported that “an experimental medium-range ballistic missile” had been employed against Ukraine, adding that Russia likely possessed only a limited number of these weapons and that they would not significantly alter the conflict. Sabrina Singh, the Pentagon’s deputy press secretary, confirmed that the US had received “brief” notification prior to the missile’s launch through Nuclear Risk Reduction channels, which are utilized for exchanging information, including missile launch notifications. Putin stated that a “test” of a non-nuclear hypersonic version of a ballistic missile was successfully conducted and that the “target was reached.” He said: “In response to the use of American and British long-range weaponry, on 21 November this year, the Russian armed forces carried out a combined strike on one of Ukraine’s military-industrial complex sites.” He asserted that there is no method for counteracting this weapon, which attacks targets at a speed of 10 Mach, or 2.5-3km/s. And he cautioned the West that Russia was “ready for any developments. If anyone still doubts this, they shouldn’t. There will always be a response”. Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at Rusi, a think tank, commented that available information about the Russian missile suggests a weapon with a longer range than the Iskanders, which have been used in the conflict so far and have a range of up to 500km (311 miles). Intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) – which Putin appears to have been describing – typically have ranges of between 3,000 and 5,500km. Savill noted that the use of such a weapon might not hold immense military significance but is symbolically important, occurring in the context of Russia’s revised nuclear doctrine, which many perceive as lowering the threshold for the use of such weapons. It is, he says, a not so subtle reminder that Russia possesses a broader arsenal of different and larger missile types and is prepared to develop more. Putin’s announcement comes as the conflict in Ukraine – which reached its 1,000th day on Tuesday – appears to be entering a new, perilous phase. Russia initiated a full-scale invasion of its south-western neighbor in February 2022. Last Sunday, US President Joe Biden granted Ukraine authorization to use long-range Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) to strike inside Russia, and two days later they were launched into Russia’s Bryansk region. On Wednesday, Ukraine was reported to have employed UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles against Russian targets. On the same day, Biden also agreed to provide Ukraine with anti-personnel landmines. These Western actions were seemingly in response to Moscow’s deployment of North Korean troops as it prepares for an offensive aimed at dislodging Ukrainian troops from a small area they have occupied in Russia’s Kursk region. However, these developments also occur as Donald Trump prepares for a potential return to the US presidency in two months’ time. Trump has pledged to end US involvement in wars and instead utilize taxpayers’ money to improve Americans’ lives. He has stated he will bring the Russia-Ukraine war to an end within 24 hours, without specifying how. Also this week, Putin – seemingly reacting to these moves – further escalated tensions by loosening the conditions for the use of Russia’s nuclear weapons. And Russia intensified air strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure, as its ground forces continued their advance in eastern Ukraine.