Russian President Vladimir Putin briefed a regional security group meeting in Kazakhstan on Thursday about Russia’s latest hypersonic missile system and possible plans to strike “decision-making centers” in Kyiv, a step that would represent another escalation after nearly three years of war in Western-backed Ukraine.
Putin’s speech to key figures in the Collective Security Treaty Organization, showcased the military might of Russia, which has nevertheless suffered significant losses during the war. It was delivered to an audience that, with the exception of Russian ally Belarus, has largely tried to stay on the sidelines of the conflict. The Russian-led security organization, known by its acronym CSTO, includes five other post-Soviet states – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Belarus and Armenia. However, Armenia has effectively frozen its membership and its representatives were not present at the meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan’s capital.
“Some of our colleagues have asked me to report extensively on the latest developments in the zone of conflict in Ukraine, the zone of the special military operation, in view of the recent developments,” Putin said, according to a Kremlin transcript. “Certainly, recognizing the importance of the ongoing events, I will gladly provide an update on the situation today, as I believe it is my duty to inform you about the latest events.”
Putin, who launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, described recent Russian strikes as a response to Ukraine’s use of Western weapon systems, including ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles, in Russia’s Bryansk and Kursk regions. He referred to a test of the hypersonic Oreshnik missile “in its non-nuclear configuration” in an attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Nov. 21, a strike that intensified concerns about nuclear escalation by Russia. Some U.S. officials, however, believe the use of nuclear weapons by Russia remains unlikely, even if the situation is dangerous.
“Military and technical experts note that when used in a concentrated, massive strike – using several Oreshnik missiles simultaneously – the resulting impact is comparable in power to that of a nuclear weapon,” Putin said. He clarified that the Oreshnik is not deemed to be a weapon of mass destruction because of its “exceptional precision” and because it is not delivering a nuclear warhead, meaning there is no radiation.
Production of the Oreshnik system is ongoing and Russia might further use it in combat, Putin said. He also said the Russian military is identifying more strike targets in Ukraine.
“These may include military installations, defense industry sites, or decision-making centers” in the Ukrainian capital, he said.
There were no immediate public reactions by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and other regional leaders to Putin’s remarks. Tokayev has previously said that Russia is “militarily invincible” and that negotiations are the only way to end the conflict.
A Gallup poll conducted in Ukraine this year concluded that about half of Ukrainians want a negotiated end to the war as soon as possible, an increase since the beginning of the conflict. However, it’s not clear on what exact terms they would accept a deal with Putin, who says Ukraine is part of Russia. There is also uncertainty about how U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will deal with the war when he takes office in January.
