Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Friday that he does not rule out the possibility of attacking Kyiv with the experimental Oreshnik medium-range hypersonic missile, describing it as a highly destructive weapon.
“We do not exclude the use of Oreshnik against military targets, military-industrial facilities, or decision-making centers, including Kyiv,” Putin said during a press conference broadcast on Russian television, held on the sidelines of his visit to Kazakhstan.
Putin praised the power of this medium-range weapon, capable of striking any target in Europe, even without being equipped with nuclear warheads.
“If you use several of these systems in one, two, three, or four attacks, their power is comparable to the use of nuclear weapons,” the Russian president stated.
“It is not a nuclear weapon, it is highly precise, not equipped with nuclear explosive charges, and does not contaminate the environment. But in terms of power, it is comparable,” Putin emphasized.
At the same press conference, Putin commented on the newly elected United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump, and described him as intelligent and capable of finding solutions to the tensions between Moscow and the West.
“As for the newly elected U.S. president, he is an intelligent man with a lot of experience. I believe he will find a solution,” Putin added.