Astana (TDI): Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday highlighted Russia’s military capabilities, including its latest hypersonic missile system, during a meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Kazakhstan.
He also hinted at plans to target “decision-making centers” in Kyiv, marking a potential escalation in the nearly three-year war in Ukraine.
Speaking to representatives of the Russia-led CSTO, which includes post-Soviet states Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Belarus, Putin described recent Russian missile strikes as a response to Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied weapons, such as ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles, in attacks on Russia’s Bryansk and Kursk regions.
Armenia, a CSTO member, did not attend the meeting, having effectively suspended its participation.
Russia’s Oreshnik Hypersonic Missile
Putin detailed a recent test of the Oreshnik hypersonic missile in its conventional configuration, which he claimed demonstrated power comparable to nuclear weapons when used in a concentrated strike.
He emphasized the missile’s precision and its non-nuclear nature, stating it does not meet the criteria for weapons of mass destruction.
“Military experts have noted the Oreshnik’s exceptional effectiveness,” Putin said, adding that its production was ongoing and that Russia could deploy it further in Ukraine.
He indicated that potential targets include military installations, defense industry facilities, and “decision-making centers” in Kyiv.
The Russian president portrayed the strikes as a defensive response to Ukraine’s actions but did not address Russia’s significant losses during the conflict.
The prospect of negotiations remains divisive. A recent Gallup poll showed that around half of Ukrainians favor a swift resolution to the war, though terms acceptable to both sides remain unclear.
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Uncertainty also looms over how U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will address the conflict when he takes office in January.
Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, framing it as a “special military operation.”
The war has since escalated, with mounting casualties and heightened fears of a broader regional impact.
