Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to the media after the summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation in Astana, Kazakhstan, Thursday, Nov 28, 2024. Photo: AP.
The Russian President affirms that any strikes on Russian territory, including those carried out with Western-supplied weapons, would prompt a decisive response from Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that Ukraine’s decision-making centers, including key military and industrial facilities, could face strikes from Russia’s newest Oreshnik hypersonic missile system.
Speaking at the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Summit in Astana, Putin described the Oreshnik system as capable of delivering non-nuclear strikes with destructive power comparable to a nuclear attack but without environmental contamination.
“If you use several such systems in one strike at once—two, three, or four systems—it will be comparable in strength to a nuclear strike,” Putin told reporters.
“But it is not nuclear because it is highly accurate and not equipped with a nuclear explosive device. It does not contaminate the environment.”
The announcement follows recent strikes on Russian military facilities in Kursk and Bryansk, reportedly using US and UK long-range missiles supplied to Ukraine.
In response, Russia test-launched the Oreshnik system against Ukraine’s Yuzhmash defense plant in Dnipro.
Putin reiterated that any Western-backed attacks on Russian territory would be met with decisive action.
Ready for talks under conditions set in June
Despite the escalating conflict, Putin reiterated Russia’s readiness for negotiations with Ukraine under conditions outlined earlier this year.
These include the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions; Ukraine adopting a non-aligned status; denazification and demilitarization of the country; and the lifting of all Western sanctions.
“We are still ready a) for a negotiation process and b) of course, on the terms that I outlined in my speech to the Foreign Ministry leadership in Moscow in June of this year. Nothing has changed,” Putin said, stressing that these terms must be enshrined in international agreements.
Russian Air Defenses Down 5 US-Made ATACMS Missiles Over Bryansk Region
Warning on Ukraine’s potential use of “dirty bombs”
Putin also addressed concerns about Ukraine’s potential to develop a “dirty bomb,” which could involve radioactive materials but falls short of a nuclear weapon. He warned that any such threat would elicit an appropriate response from Moscow, reinforcing his stance that Russian security remains paramount.
“That said, it’s almost impossible to create anything from scratch. Of course, it’s possible to produce something dirty – the so-called ‘dirty bomb’ – using waste from nuclear power plants. But in this case, an appropriate response to the threats facing Russia will follow,” Putin said.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Putin affirmed that any strikes on Russian territory, including those carried out with Western-supplied weapons, would prompt a decisive response from Moscow.
“The strikes from our side were in response to the ongoing attacks on Russian territory with US ATACMS missiles. As I have repeatedly said, we will always respond,” he emphasized.
Escalation driven by Western support
Putin criticized NATO and Western nations for their “inflammatory actions,” including supplying Ukraine with high-precision long-range weapons, which he argued escalated the conflict.
The Oreshnik missile system, now in serial production, represents Russia’s answer to these provocations, providing a powerful tool to counter Western imperialist interference in the region.
The Russian leader concluded by urging restraint from the West, warning that further provocations risk prolonging the conflict and destabilizing the broader region.
At the same time, he reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to defend its sovereignty and interests against any external threats.
December 5, 2024
