Putin orders mass production of Orechnik missile, further 'tests'

This Friday, Vladimir Putin ordered the mass production of the Orechnik missile and the conduct of new “tests”. Russian troops also claimed the capture of a new locality in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine has asked its Western allies to provide it with new air defense systems. Le Figaro takes stock of the situation.

Ukraine demands new air defense systems after latest Russian strikes

Ukraine is asking its Western allies to provide it with new, latest-generation air defense systems after being hit by a Russian hypersonic ballistic missile this week, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday.

“The Ukrainian Defense Minister is already in discussions with our partners on new air defense systems – precisely the kind of systems that can protect lives in the face of new risks”Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video message posted on social networks.

Development of Russian hypersonic missile 'ridicules' China's calls for restraint in Ukraine, says Volodymyr Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that Russia was ridiculing calls for restraint from its Chinese ally by firing a new generation experimental missile at Ukraine.

“On the part of Russia, this ridicules the position of states like China, of the states of the Global South, of certain leaders who call for restraint every time”said Volodymyr Zelensky in a video speech published on social networks.

Serial production and “new tests” for the Orechnik missile

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday ordered the mass production and continued combat testing of the new Orechnik hypersonic ballistic missile, used to strike Ukraine on Thursday.

“We will continue these tests, including in combat situations, depending on the situation and the nature of the threats to Russia’s security”he said during a meeting with military officials broadcast on television.

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The Kremlin is certain that the United States “understood” Putin’s message

The Kremlin said it was certain that the United States had “Understood” the message from Vladimir Putin in his speech the day before, claiming responsibility for the firing of a new type of missile against Ukraine and threatening the West.

“Yesterday's speech was very, very exhaustive, clear, logical”Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitri Peskov told the press. “We therefore have no doubt that the current administration in Washington has had the opportunity to familiarize itself with this statement and understand it”he added.

Conflict in Ukraine has taken on a “global character,” says Putin

Russian leader Vladimir Putin said Thursday that the conflict in Ukraine has taken a “global character” and that this “Orechnik” hypersonic ballistic missile launch was a response to Western missile strikes on its territory. In recent days, Ukraine had struck Russian territory with American ATACMS and British Storm Shadow missiles.

Ukraine does not plan to withdraw from Russia's Kursk region at this stage

A senior source within the Ukrainian general staff said on Friday that kyiv forces did not intend, at this stage, to withdraw from the Russian region of Kursk, which they still control, according to them. , «environ 800 km2».

“We will stay (in the Russian region of) Kursk as long as it is of interest”this source told journalists. “The maximum territory we occupied (in the region) was 1,376 km2. Today it is around 800 km2.she clarified.

…and claims Russia has only a “limited number” of Orechnik hypersonic ballistic missiles

Russia has only one “limited number” Orechnik hypersonic ballistic missiles, the new weapon used Thursday during a strike on Ukraine, a source within the Ukrainian general staff said on Friday. “There are a very limited number of these missiles, a few units”this military source told journalists.

Moscow claims the capture of a new locality near Kurakhové

The Russian army claimed to have captured a new town near Kurakhové, in eastern Ukraine where Kremlin forces have been advancing at high speed in recent days.

In a statement, the Russian Defense Ministry said that units of the “Center group” had “released” Novodmytrivka, a village located about 12 kilometers north of Kurakhové. A senior source within the Ukrainian general staff indicated that Russian troops “advance 200-300 meters per day” near Kourakhové.

In the Pokrovsk sector, a logistics hub in the same region, the situation is more favorable and “has hardly changed in the last two months”assured this same source.

Two dead in Russian strikes in northeastern Ukraine

Russian strikes killed at least two people in Sumy, in northeastern Ukraine, local authorities said on Friday. This town near the Russian border was hit by “several massive explosions”Mayor Artem Kobzar said on Telegram, specifying that an air alert remained in effect at 6 a.m. local time (4 a.m. GMT) and asking residents to stay away from windows.

According to the regional military administration, a residential area was struck by a Russian drone. The attack left two dead and ten injured, according to a preliminary report from the same source.

Sweden will not be intimidated by Russia's 'provocations'

Sweden will not be intimidated by «provocations» and threats from Vladimir Putin to the West and will continue to support Ukraine, Defense Minister Pal Jonson said on Friday.

“The recent Russian escalations and provocation are an attempt to scare us into not supporting Ukraine, and it will fail. Russia will not be able to stop us from continuing to support Ukraine.”he said during a press briefing with his Ukrainian counterpart, Rousten Oumierov.

Ukraine expects “concrete” decisions against Moscow at NATO meeting on Tuesday

Ukraine awaits decisions “concrete” against Russia at the end of Tuesday's meeting with NATO, its Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andriï Sybiga, said on Friday, the day after a Russian experimental missile fired against its territory, a first.

“We hope that (the meeting) will lead to concrete and significant results”he said at a press conference in kyiv. The minister clarified that kyiv will raise “the question of (how) to limit Russia’s capacity to produce this type of weaponry”.

Russian ballistic missile launch a 'terrible escalation,' says Scholz

Russia's hypersonic ballistic missile launch on Ukraine constitutes “a terrible escalation” in the conflict, lamented German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

“We do not want to provide Ukraine with cruise missiles capable of penetrating deep into Russian territory”thus reaffirmed the German head of government, emphasizing that in his eyes, “caution and clear support for Ukraine go hand in hand”.

China calls for 'restraint' after Russia's hypersonic ballistic missile launch

China called on Friday for “restraint” and at “calm” to resolve the war in Ukraine, after the firing confirmed by the Kremlin of a Russian hypersonic ballistic missile. “All parties must remain calm and exercise restraint, work to defuse the situation through dialogue and consultation and create conditions for an early ceasefire”Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a regular press briefing.

Moscow Ally Kazakhstan Steps Up Security Measures Due to 'Escalation in Ukraine'

The president of Kazakhstan, a Central Asian country allied with Russia, ordered Friday to “take urgent measures” to protect the civil and military infrastructure of his country due to the“escalation in Ukraine”.

“Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the prime minister, the presidential administration, the heads of all security forces (army, special services, police, prosecutor's office) and local leaders to take urgent measures to protect the main civilian and military objects in connection with the escalation of the situation around Ukraine”Presidential spokesperson Berik Uali reported on Facebook. The latter recalls that Kazakhstan had regularly called on Moscow and kyiv to negotiate to end the war “between two Slavic peoples”.

Russia supplied anti-aircraft missiles to North Korea, Seoul says

The day after a day of extreme tensions marked by Russia's firing of a new ballistic missile, Russian strikes in Ukraine left at least two people dead in Sumy this Friday, November 22.

On Thursday evening, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that in response to Western missile strikes on his territory, Russia had fired at Ukraine with a new type of hypersonic ballistic missile called “Orechnik”, which was in its “nuclear-free configuration”. With the authorization of American missile strikes on Russian territory, “the conflict provoked by the West in Ukraine has taken on the elements of a (conflict) of a global nature”warned the Russian president in an address to the nation.

Ukrainian parliament cancels Friday session due to risk of Russian strike

The Ukrainian parliament canceled its session scheduled for Friday due to an increased risk of Russian strikes, the day after the firing of a new ballistic missile from Moscow, several deputies said.

The regular session with the participation of government officials “has been cancelled”a deputy from the presidential party, Yevguenia Kravtchouk, told AFP, confirming information from other elected officials. “There are signals of an increased risk of attacks on the government district in the coming days”she added.

North Korean soldiers stationed in Russia will 'soon' fight Ukrainian army, Pentagon chief says

The United States anticipates that the thousands of North Korean troops stationed in Russia will “Soon” fight Ukrainian forces, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said Saturday.

“On the basis of what (North Korean soldiers) have been trained, the manner in which they have been integrated into Russian formations, I fully expect to see them engaged in combat soon”the US Secretary of Defense told reporters from the Fiji Islands, where he is visiting.