The situation at a glance: Putin wants to mass-produce medium-range missiles

Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin has expressed satisfaction with the use of a new medium-range missile against the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. He praised the rocket, known as the Oreschnik (German: nut bush), as unique in the world and announced that it would be mass produced. “Nobody else in the world has a weapon like this,” said the Russian president at a meeting with senior military officials and representatives of the arms industry. The decision for series production has been made and it has practically already been organized.

Moscow will continue testing the rocket, including in combat operations, he emphasized. He described the rocket attack on Dnipro as a successful test.

The television pictures showed Putin visibly pleased. Oreshnik is not a modernization of Soviet technology, but rather a testament to the technical progress of Russian engineering and the strength of the defense sector, he said. Those involved in building the rocket would be awarded high medals. “The results of their use are comparable to the use of strategic weapon systems in terms of their effect and performance.”

The Oreshnik system is neither a strategic weapon nor a weapon of mass destruction because it can also be used in a very targeted manner, he added. According to Moscow, the missile will fly at hypersonic speeds and be inaccessible to anti-aircraft systems. This information could not initially be independently confirmed. Experts assume that the rocket could technically also be equipped with nuclear warheads.

New rocket attack as a message to the West

Russia fired a new medium-range ballistic missile at Ukraine on Thursday. According to Russian information, an arms factory in Dnipro was attacked. Moscow also deliberately used the launch of the rocket to deter the West. This should be prevented from continuing to support Ukraine, which is being attacked by Russia – especially not with long-range missiles to fire at military objects on Russian territory.

So the statements made by a high-ranking general about Putin at the same meeting can be understood as threats to the West and especially the countries on the European continent. “Based on the tasks set and the range of this weapon, it (the missile) can attack targets throughout the territory of Europe, which favorably distinguishes it from other types of long-range high-precision weapons,” said the head of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces Sergei Karakayev.

Zelensky accuses Putin of new war crimes

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj accused Putin of new war crimes. If someone shells other countries not just to terrorize them, but to test new missiles for further terror, then this is definitely a war crime, Zelensky argued in his evening video speech.

Russia’s behavior is also an affront to China and the countries of the Global South that call for moderation, Zelensky complained. Once again he called for a sharp reaction from the international community.

The Kremlin itself accuses Kiev and the West of escalation and sees the use of the new missile as a response to Ukraine’s shelling of Russian territory with long-range Western weapons.

Ukraine wants new anti-aircraft weapons

Zelensky also made an appeal to his own compatriots and foreign diplomats working in Kiev. Ukraine is working on strengthening its air defense. Nevertheless, every air alarm must be taken seriously and cover must be sought in the event of danger. At the same time, the potential danger of a Russian missile attack should not be used as an excuse to vacate, said Zelensky, also with a view to the partially closed embassies in the country.

It had previously become known that Kiev wanted to negotiate with Washington over the supply of new anti-aircraft systems: “Ukraine does not have the means to shoot down intercontinental ballistic missiles, but the Americans have them,” an unnamed representative of the armed forces told the state news agency Ukrinform in Kiev.

“Ukraine will turn to the United States for such weapons,” he said. Modernized versions of the Patriot air defense system and the Aegis Ashore missile defense system were mentioned. The USA has had such Aegis defense shields in Romania since 2016 and in Poland for a few days now. They are supposedly directed against possible Iranian attacks, but Moscow also sees them as a defense against its missiles.

EU Parliament President calls for Taurus weapons aid for Kyiv

In view of Russia’s increased attacks in Ukraine, EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola supports the rapid delivery of German Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine. When asked whether the EU states – like the USA – should allow the use of long-range missiles against targets in Russia and whether Germany would also have to supply the Taurus weapons system, Metsola replied to the newspapers of the Funke media group: “Yes, that is also the position of the EU Parliament. There is broad support for this demand. We will see whether there is a corresponding change of course after the federal election.

Perhaps there could be such a change of course beforehand, Metsola added, because “there are different positions on the Taurus delivery in the Berlin coalition.” Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has long rejected a Taurus delivery. He fears that this could drag Germany directly into the war between Russia and Ukraine. The FDP and the Greens, on the other hand, advocate supplying the weapon system to Ukraine.