Russia Furious as U.S. Demands Answers Over Alexei Navalny Poisoning
NewsweekNov 30, 2021
Putin Suggests Targeting Kyiv With New Hypersonic Missile
Above: Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow on Nov. 18, 2024. Image copyright: VYACHESLAV PROKOFYEV/Contributor/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin suggested on Thursday that Russia's newest Oreshnik hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile system could be used to target "military facilities, defense industry enterprises or decision-making centers" in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
The Kremlin is currently selecting targets for further strikes, he said during the Collective Security Treaty Organization summit in Kazakhstan, alleging Ukraine has "repeatedly" tried to strike facilities "of national importance in Russia."
The Spin
Pro-Russia narrative
The strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure are justified responses to Kyiv's attacks on Russian territory using Western-supplied missiles. The deployment of the superior Oreshnik missile system would demonstrate Russia's technological advantage over NATO and could significantly alter the balance of power in the Ukraine conflict. Moscow would use all means at its disposal were Ukraine to ever get hold of nuclear weapons or NATO membership.
Anti-Russia narrative
The systematic attacks on Ukraine's civilian energy infrastructure during winter constitute war crimes and deliberately target the civilian population, leaving millions vulnerable to freezing temperatures. Putin's threat is a despicable escalation of Russian terrorist tactics. The West must immediately provide Ukraine with more air defense systems.