Russia claims right to target states supplying Ukraine as war hits global scale

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia has the right to target states whose weapons Ukraine uses to strike Russian territory, adding that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has “acquired elements of a global character.”

“We consider ourselves entitled to use our weapons against the military facilities of those countries that allow their weapons to be used against our facilities,” Putin said.

“In the event of an escalation of aggressive actions, we will respond just as decisively,” he added.

Putin’s remarks came after Ukraine launched its first strikes on Russian soil using Western-supplied weapons. In a surprise address to the nation, he warned that these developments marked a significant escalation in the war.

“The conflict in Ukraine has acquired elements of a global character,” Putin said.

Russia ‘ready’ for any scenario

Additionally, he emphasized that Russia is “ready” for any scenario.

“We have always preferred to, and now are ready to resolve all disputed questions with peaceful means but we are also ready for any development of events. If anyone doubts that, they are wrong. There will always be a response,” added Putin.

Russia hits Ukraine with new mid-range ballistic missile

In a separate statement, Putin confirmed that Russian forces had targeted the Pivdenmash plant in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro with a non-nuclear hypersonic ballistic missile. The strike marked a continued escalation of Russia’s military actions amid the war.

Russian President Putin said that the country’s forces had hit Ukraine with a new mid-range ballistic missile.

He confirmed that Russia carried out “testing in combat conditions of one of the newest Russian mid-range missile systems… Our engineers named it Oreshnik.”

Details to follow…