President Vladimir Putin on Thursday threatened to strike decision-making centers in Kyiv with Russias new hypersonic rocket, hours after Moscow pummelled Ukraines energy grid in an attack that left a million people without power.Russia fired more than 90 rockets and around 100 drones during the barrage, Kyiv stated, in what the Kremlin chief called a reaction to Ukrainian strikes on his territory with Western missiles.The nearly three-year war has seen a sharp escalation in current days, with both sides deploying brand-new weapons in a bid to get the edge before United States President-elect Donald Trump takes workplace in January.
We do not eliminate using Oreshnik versus the military, military-industrial or decision-making centers, including in Kyiv, Putin told a press conference in the Kazakh capital Astana, referring to the hypersonic missile.Kyivs government district an area of the capital where several federal government structures lie is secured with intense security, but fears for it have increased over the last week.Russia recently tested its brand-new Oreshnik ballistic rocket on Ukraine, and Putin boasted on Thursday that shooting several of the weapons at the same time would have the comparable force of a nuclear strike, or a meteorite hit.He previously stated the overnight barrage was a response to continued attacks on our territory by [United States ] ATACMS rockets.
As I have actually said consistently, there will constantly be a response from our side.
Putin also declared Russia knew the number of long-range weapons were provided to Kyiv and where they were located.Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated Putins hazard to strike Kyiv was a testament to weak point and said the West would not be worried by his words.Despicable escalatio nThe fresh strikes came as Ukrainians braced for a hard winter, with much of its energy facilities already harmed by nearly 3 years of war, and as Russian troops advanced in eastern Ukraine.Tensions have ratcheted up over the last few weeks as both sides aim to secure a benefit on the battleground ahead of Trumps January inauguration.Putin suggested he had wish for Trumps 2nd term, explaining the Republican on Thursday as an smart person, capable of finding a solution, without specifying what he was referring to.The Russian leader spoke hours after the overnight barrage that left over half a million customers in Ukraines western Lviv area cut off from electricity.Another 280,000 in the western Rivne area and 215,000 in the northwestern Volyn area also lost power, authorities said.Ukraines emergency services said the Russian over night strikes caused damage in 14 areas across the nation, with the countrys West hard-hit.
Zelensky stated that Russia had likewise fired cluster munitions throughout the attack, calling it a really despicable escalation of Russian terrorist techniques.
AFP reporters in the capital Kyiv heard blasts call out over the capital over night as air defense systems targeted Russian drones and missiles, with locals crowding into the underground city system for cover.The energy ministry said it was the 11th huge Russian attack on Ukraines civilian energy infrastructure this year.A senior UN authorities, Rosemary DiCarlo, this month alerted that Russian attacks on Ukraines energy infrastructure might make this winter season the harshest since the start of the war.
Putin possesses new missileSince Moscow shocked the West and Kyiv by evaluating its new ballistic rocket Oreshnik on the city of Dnipro recently, Russian officials have actually promoted the arms might.In Astana, Putin said the Oreshnik might turn anything into dust and hit at a temperature level comparable to the surface of the sun.
He stated Russia was required to check [the weapon] in battle conditions after Kyivs first strike on Russian area using ATACMS.Putin stated Thursday that the Oreshnik might travel around 3 kilometers per second which its elements might reach a temperature nearly like the surface area of the sun.
Russia also sentenced a legal representative, Dmitry Talantov, to 7 years in prison for comparing Moscows actions in Ukraine at the start of the intrusion to Nazi practices, a day after putting an invasion critic back on trial.Ukraine, meanwhile, sentenced a lady in the eastern Donetsk region to 15 years in jail on high treason charges for passing sensitive military information to Russia.