Putin Announces Increased Hypersonic Missile Tests Amid Ukraine Conflict

Jakarta – Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow will conduct more tests of the hypersonic ballistic missile Oreshnik under “combat conditions.” He made this statement a day after launching a missile at Ukraine.

“We will continue these tests, depending on the situation and the nature of security threats against Russia,” Putin said during a televised meeting with military leaders on Saturday, November 23, 2024.

On November 21, Russia fired a new generation missile at the city of Dnipro in Ukraine, marking a significant increase in its military arsenal amid the nearly three-year conflict.

Putin instructed for the missile to be produced in large quantities, stating, “We need to start mass production. The decision… has essentially been made,” highlighting the “special power” of this weapon system.

He described the missile system tested as a strong assurance of Russia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. He claimed no other country has technology like this. While he acknowledged other nations would develop similar systems soon, he emphasized, “We have this system now. That is important.”

Putin’s meeting with defense officials coincided with an escalation in the Ukraine conflict. He pointed out that the missile launch was a direct response to forces from Kyiv using missiles supplied by the United States and United Kingdom for the first time in Russian territory.

In his speech on November 21, Putin asserted that Russia has the right to target military facilities in countries supplying arms to Ukraine, specifically naming the United States and the United Kingdom.