In a dramatic increase in tensions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia had fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile as a response to Ukraine’s use of long-range weapons supplied by the West. A missile strike that Putin describes as a “test” of a new weapon sends a harsh warning to nations arming Ukraine.
Speaking live on television, he noted Russia has the right to attack countries supplying Ukraine. “We believe we have the right to use our weapons against military facilities of those countries that enable attacks on our territory,” he said.
The reportedly conventional or nuclear warhead-carrying missile is a significant development. U.S. officials said that Russia had notified them through nuclear risk reduction channels before the test. Deputy Defense Department press secretary Sabrina Singh expressed concern, describing the weapon as a new and experimental capability based on the RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile.
Analysts claim it’s a measured threat to the West. Sending in a missile to hit locations behind the borders of Ukraine, Moscow is now ready to push the conflict further up the ladder, but experts believe that the chances of nuclear weapons being used are low; this will alienate Russia’s most important allies, such as China.
The United States has also dismissed Russian threats with renewed calls for Ukraine. “Russia may try to intimidate, but it won’t change our support,” a senior US official told journalists. The Biden administration will continue plans to supply air defense systems and other military hardware to Ukraine.
As the war goes over Moscow’s rhetoric sharpens. Experts have fears of potential escalation but are still of the opinion that factors such as diplomacy and strategy might once again deter Moscow from crossing the nuclear threshold. For now, Putin’s missile test cements a chilling reminder of the stakes involved in the ongoing conflict.
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