The ‘Hazel’ has turned out to be a turning point in the rapid nuclear escalation of the last few days in the Ukraine war.
The massive attack by the new Russian mid-range hypersonic ballistic missile changed the game. In the words of pro-Russia Brazilian journalist Pepe Escobar: the Oreshnik (‘Hazel’) is ‘the 3 km per second plot twist’.
The Friday (22) began with The New York Times reporting that Kiev has no radar to detect the incoming ‘mach-10’ Oreshnik missiles – and no air defense systems that can intercept them, either.
But we were soon to discover that no one has, to this day, countermeasures for this new weapon.
So, let’s follow today’s event through the reporting of the Telegram channels Sputnik International, Intel Slava Z and Slavyangrad.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting at the Kremlin with the leadership of the Ministry of Defense, and he had a lot to say.
His main message is the same: the reckless decisions made by the West to supply missiles to Ukraine cannot go unanswered.
According to Putin, testing of the Oreshnik missile complex will continue, but he added the shocking data point: a reserve of Oreshnik systems is already available.
He also alerted that, when used on a massive scale against enemy targets, the Oreshnik will become comparable to strategic weaponry.
Yes, you read it right. Equivalent to a strategic nuke.
The Russian Ministry of Defense on its part confirmed the successful use of the non-nuclear hypersonic MRBM ‘Oreshnik’ at the defense plant Yuzhmash in Dnepropetrovsk.
According to the MoD, ‘all warheads of the missile reached the target’.
The immediate consequence was that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky requested air defense systems capable of shooting down Russian medium-range missiles.
Only there doesn’t appear to exist any.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov:
I understand that Zelensky got scared and directly accused his masters of leaving him unarmed in the face of such an action on the part of the Russian Federation. This is probably a useful result. Because being closer to reality and experiencing it on your own skin is already useful.
Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov:
“Russia would prefer if Washington had paid attention to President Vladimir Putin’s statements made prior to the Oreshnik test.”
Another point made by the Russians is that they are working on ‘mechanisms to notify Ukraine’s civilian population in the event of plans for new ballistic missile strikes’.
What has the media said?
AP: Russia was “sending a message.”
Washington Post: a “threat of more to come”.
New York Times: “clear warning” to Kiev and its Western patrons.
Forbes: retaliation for Ukraine’s own deep strikes.
BBC: “symbolically important”.
Le Parisien: Russia is “ready” for all scenarios
Big breaking
Russian President Putin:
There are no defense systems in the world that can intercept Russia’s Oreshnik missiles. pic.twitter.com/YtUS85AlpT
— Fx Dose (@Forex_dose) November 22, 2024
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