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By Matthew Impelli
Life & Trends Reporter
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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said his country used new hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missiles on Ukraine amid the ongoing war between the two nations.
Putin's Remarks
"In response to the use of American and British long-range weapons, on November 21 of this year, the Russian armed forces launched a combined strike on one of the facilities of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine," Putin said, according to Reuters.
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"We believe that we have the right to use our weapons against military facilities of the countries that allow to use their weapons against our facilities," he added. "And in case of escalation of aggressive actions, we will respond resolutely in a mirror way."
Putin announced that Russia would provide advance notice before launching additional missile strikes on Ukraine, allowing civilians time to evacuate. He also claimed that U.S. air defense systems would be unable to intercept Russian missiles.
Putin stated that the strike on Dnipro targeted a missile production facility involved in manufacturing a new weapon named "Oreshnik," the Russian word for "hazel."
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The Context
Putin's remarks followed Ukraine's claim that Russia had launched an intercontinental ballistic missile overnight at the central city of Dnipro. However, U.S. officials suggested that preliminary assessments indicated the attack was carried out using an intermediate-range ballistic missile.
The attack injured two people and caused damage to an industrial facility as well as a rehabilitation center for individuals with disabilities, local officials reported.
The strike occurred amid escalating tensions as the United States relaxed restrictions on Ukraine's deployment of American-made long-range missiles within Russian territory, while Putin reduced the threshold for using nuclear weapons.
Ukraine's air force reported that the strike on Dnipro originated from Russia's Astrakhan region near the Caspian Sea.
"Today, our crazy neighbor once again showed what he really is," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said prior to Putin's announcement today. "And how afraid he is."
U.S. Allows Ukraine to Strike Targets in Russia
Earlier this week, the Biden administration approved Ukraine's use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles for strikes deeper within Russian territory, prompting a sharp backlash from Moscow.
Days later, Ukraine launched several of the long-range missiles into Russian territory, according to the Kremlin. That same day, Putin enacted a new doctrine permitting a potential nuclear response to conventional attacks on Russia if the aggressor is backed by a nuclear power.
The doctrine is deliberately vague, avoiding a definitive commitment to deploying nuclear weapons. In response, Western nations, including the United States, criticized Russia for engaging in reckless nuclear rhetoric and tactics throughout the war, aimed at intimidating Ukraine and its allies.
More than 1,000 days into the war, Russia holds the advantage as its larger military continues to push forward in Donetsk, while Ukrainian civilians endure a barrage of relentless drone and missile attacks.
This article includes reporting from the Associated Press.
Update 11/21/24 2:30 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with further information.
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