Russia will continue to test and begin mass-producing the hypersonic ballistic missile that it shot into Ukraine on Thursday, President Vladimir Putin announced Friday.
The experimental strike Thursday concluded a historic week that has changed the course of the fight and marked a turning point in Moscow’s war. After the White House gave Ukraine permission to launch its long-range missiles into Russia, the missile was fired.
Putin stated that the missile could not be intercepted by air defences and that Russia will start producing the new weapon in large quantities during a televised meeting with the head of the country’s defence ministry. Putin’s comments come a day after Russia fired the “Oreshnik” missile – which contains multiple warheads – at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, saying in a video posted on Telegram that “today, our crazy neighbor has once again shown who he really is and how he despises dignity, freedom and human life in general.”
Zelensky said Friday that Ukraine was holding meetings with its allies about developing “new air defense systems” in response to the new threat from Russia.
Two US officials and one Western official told CNN that the “experimental” ballistic missile carried multiple warheads, in what may be the first time such a weapon has been used in war. Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a key ally of Ukraine, said the conflict was “entering a decisive phase.”
NATO and Ukraine are due to hold talks next week following Russia’s firing of the experimental missile.
Source: Here