Russian President Vladimir Putin intensified tensions on Thursday by suggesting that the conflict in Ukraine had evolved into a “global” war and warning of possible strikes on Western nations. Speaking after Russia test-fired a new intermediate-range missile, potentially capable of carrying nuclear warheads, Putin criticized Western nations for supporting Ukraine with advanced weaponry.
The missile, reportedly with a range of up to 5,500 kilometers, raises the stakes as Putin lashed out against Ukraine’s allies for allowing Kyiv to use Western-supplied weapons to target Russian territory. The U.S. and U.K. recently permitted Ukraine to deploy long-range missiles, including the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and Storm Shadow, leading to heightened hostilities.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Russia’s actions, labeling the missile strike a severe escalation of violence and calling on global leaders to counter Russian aggression through force. Meanwhile, NATO and U.S. officials dismissed Putin’s rhetoric as an attempt to deter support for Ukraine, emphasizing that their backing for Kyiv would continue.
The missile strike on Ukraine’s Dnipro region damaged infrastructure and injured civilians, with Moscow claiming further territorial gains in the Donetsk region. As tensions rise, international bodies such as the United Nations warned that the situation was moving in a dangerous direction, underscoring the urgent need for de-escalation.
