Russian President Vladimir Putin declared Thursday that the Ukraine conflict is escalating into a global confrontation, accusing the West of provoking the situation by supplying Kyiv with advanced weapons. In a televised address, Putin warned of decisive retaliation and revealed Russia had tested a new medium-range hypersonic missile in response to recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory.
Putin said Ukraine used US-made ATACMS and British Storm Shadow missiles in attacks on Russian targets, including a command centre in Kursk, which resulted in casualties. While he asserted that such strikes cannot alter the war’s trajectory, he emphasised that Russia reserves the right to retaliate against nations enabling attacks on its facilities.
“The West must think carefully,” Putin said. “If anyone doubts our right to strike back, they are wrong. There will always be a response.”
Russia’s hypersonic missile, nicknamed “Oreshnik” (the hazel), was tested on a defence facility in Dnipro. Putin claimed the strike successfully targeted Ukraine’s missile production enterprise, sending a message to Western allies.
The escalation follows the US’s approval for Ukraine to use long-range missiles to hit Russian targets. Putin criticised this move, accusing the US of pushing the world toward global conflict.
“From that moment, what was a regional conflict has acquired global dimensions,” he said.
The Russian leader also referenced the US withdrawal from the 1987 INF Treaty, accusing Washington of destabilising global security by resuming the development of intermediate-range missiles.
Despite controlling significant portions of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea and parts of Donbas, Russia has faced fierce resistance from Kyiv, bolstered by Western support. Putin dismissed the notion that the West’s weapon supplies could shift the war’s course but warned of the risks of further escalation.
“Russia has voluntarily refrained from deploying certain missiles, but our actions will depend on Western decisions,” he cautioned.
The ongoing conflict, now in its second year, continues to strain global security dynamics, raising fears of broader confrontations involving NATO and other world powers.
(With inputs from Reuters, AP)
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