Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday announced that the war in Ukraine has now escalated into a global conflict, following Ukrainian attacks on Russian soil with Western-supplied weapons, backed by the United States. “
From this moment on, as we have repeatedly underlined, the conflict in Ukraine, previously caused by the West, has acquired global elements,” Putin stated in a brief address to the nation.
Putin highlighted two recent Ukrainian attacks—one on Tuesday using U.S. ATACMS missiles and another on Thursday with British Storm Shadow missiles. Both targeted military installations in Russia’s Bryansk and Kursk regions, which border Ukraine, though neither attack was successful in achieving its objective.
Amid these rising tensions, Putin reaffirmed Russia’s new nuclear doctrine and announced the deployment of a new medium-range missile system, the Oreshnik, aimed at a Ukrainian military facility. “We are conducting combat tests of the Oreshnik missile system in response to the aggressive actions of NATO countries towards Russia,” he said, stressing that Moscow would retaliate “decisively and dramatically” to any escalation from the West.
Putin also had a warning for those considering military action against Russia. “I recommend the ruling elites of those countries who plan to use their military contingents against Russia to seriously think this through,” he cautioned. He further stated that if Russia were to launch a large-scale attack on Ukraine, the civilian population would be given prior notice and offered an opportunity to evacuate. “We will do this for humanitarian reasons, openly, publicly, and without fear of opposition from the enemy, who will also receive this information,” he added. Putin justified this approach, claiming that Russia’s new weapons, such as the Oreshnik, are currently unmatched by existing air defense systems, including those of the U.S.
The Oreshnik missile, according to Putin, can travel at speeds between 2.5 and 3 kilometers per second, a pace that makes it nearly impossible to intercept with current air defense technologies.
Despite the heightened conflict, Putin maintained that Russia remains open to resolving issues peacefully, though he emphasized that the country is on high alert for any developments. His remarks come amid growing international involvement in the Ukraine war, as Russia accuses Ukraine of launching long-range missile attacks with Western support. However, Kyiv has yet to respond publicly.
The war, which began over a thousand days ago after Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, shows no signs of resolution. The frontlines have remained largely static, though Ukrainian forces have conducted incursions into Russian territory, including an attack on Kursk last August.
