Fri 22 November 2024:

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that his country struck a plant in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro using a new hypersonic medium-range ballistic missile.

Initially, Ukraine’s Air Force claimed that Moscow launched an intercontinental ballistic missile during an attack on the city of Dnipro early in the morning, which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also confirmed in a later video address. But, he said that expert evaluations to confirm the exact model of the missile used are underway.

“One of the largest and well-known industrial complexes from the Soviet Union, which today produces missile technology and other weapons, was hit in the city of Dnipro in Ukraine,” Putin said in a live video address.

Russian Telegram channels earlier in the day said that the attack targeted the plant of Pivdenmash, Ukraine’s state-owned aerospace manufacturer headquartered in Dnipro.

Noting that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has gained “elements of a global nature,” Putin said the strike was conducted by testing a new Russian medium-range missile system named Oreshnik, which he said, in this case, utilized a ballistic missile with “non-nuclear hypersonic” equipment.

Putin said such missiles are being developed by Russia in “response to the U.S. plans to produce and deploy intermediate- and shorter-range missiles in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.”

Putin further said that Russia is entitled to use weapons against military facilities of countries that are using their weapons against Moscow, adding that Russia’s response to escalation in Ukraine will be “decisive and in kind.”

“I recommend that the ruling elites of those countries that are hatching plans to use their military contingents against Russia seriously think about this,” he added.

Ukrainian authorities have yet to confirm whether the Pivdenmash plant was hit during the attack.

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Moscow does not want peace

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that Russia‘s use of a new ballistic missile against Dnipro earlier in the day is “more proof” that Moscow does not want peace.

“The use of a ballistic missile against Ukraine today is yet more proof that Russia has no interest in peace,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.

Describing Russia’s use of the missile as a “clear and severe escalation” in the scale of the Ukraine war, which marked day 1,000 on Tuesday, Zelenskyy called the attack Russia’s “second step toward escalation” this year, the first being reports about North Korea sending troops to support Moscow’s war effort.

“Putin has taken both of these steps while ignoring everyone in the world who is calling for no further expansion of the war. He disregards calls from China, Brazil, European countries, the United States, and others,” Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian president also defended his country’s use of long-range Western weapons, saying Kyiv has “every right to do so under international law.”

“Our right to self-defense is the same as that of any other nation,” Zelenskyy went on to say, adding the world “must respond” and that the lack of reactions to Russia’s actions is sending a message to Putin that these actions are acceptable.

“Response is needed. Pressure is needed. Russia must be forced into real peace, which can only be achieved through strength. Otherwise, there will be endless Russian strikes, threats, and destabilization—not just against Ukraine,” he said.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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