Russia’s launch of new missile illustrated assured retaliation capability, lawmaker says

MOSCOW | TASS | Moscow’s launch of its latest intermediate-range missile, the Oreshnik, put on display the assured retaliation that will follow any aggression against Russia and its allies, State Duma Defense Committee Chairman Andrey Kartapolov said.

“Our revamped nuclear doctrine, in its second chapter, clearly states that the main goal of nuclear deterrence is for adversaries to realize the inevitability of consequences for making any decisions to start aggression against the Russian Federation and/or its allies, the inevitability of retaliation. Oreshnik now has shown the inevitability of such retaliation,” he said on Rossiya-1 television.

Kartapolov also said the enemy currently has no defenses against the Oreshnik.

“There is nothing that will stop this missile,” he stated.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on November 21 that Russia fired its newest Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile with a non-nuclear warhead at a Ukrainian defense industry facility in the city of Dnepr. According to the president, it was a response to strikes into Russian territory with UK and UK weapons. The Russian leader said the West could bring upon itself heavy consequences, should its inflammatory policies prompt further escalation of the conflict.

Meanwhile in Washington, the US Department of Defense has not yet completed its assessment of the damage inflicted on the Ukrainian side as a result of Russia’s use of the Oreshnik hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile, Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said at a regular briefing.

When asked about damage estimates, the spokeswoman said: “It’s still something that we’re looking at with our – with the Ukrainians, so I don’t have a good sense to read out today.” “But when we have more to provide, we will. Maybe – and, you know – and I’d refer you to Ukraine to also speak to that,” she added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on November 21 that the United States and its NATO allies had earlier announced that they would authorize Ukraine’s use of long-range weapons to hit inside Russia, after which American and British missiles struck Russian military facilities in the Kursk and Bryansk regions. He said that Russia responded to those attacks by firing Russia’s newest Oreshnik hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile with a non-nuclear warhead at a Ukrainian defense industry facility, the Yuzhmash plant in Dnepr (formerly Dnepropetrovsk). The Russian leader emphasized that the West’s provocative policies could have dire consequences if they further escalate the conflict.