Deputy FM: Russia has strong military tools to make West "listen"

Russia has the necessary military and technical capabilities to “reason with” the West if diplomatic efforts fail, according to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.

"Our air defence systems are effective, as you can see from what is happening. We have significant countermeasures to make our opponents reconsider their actions if they are not responding to other arguments," Ryabkov said in an interview with Russian media, commenting on the ongoing missile strikes from the US on Russian territory, per Caliber.Az.

He also pointed out that while the West hears Russia’s warnings, they are not willing to listen. “That is the key problem,” he said. “We have all the necessary means to counter these attacks.”

Earlier, Ryabkov mentioned that Moscow regularly sends both verbal and "material warning signals" to the United States, especially in light of the growing use of ATACMS missiles in the region.

He emphasized that these signals, which serve as warnings, are continuously relayed to Washington. One such signal was the recent test of Russia’s new medium-range missile system, "Oreshnik."

On November 21, President Vladimir Putin noted that the U.S. and its NATO allies had given the green light for long-range precision strikes. These weapons were then used to attack Russian military sites in the Kursk and Bryansk regions. In response to these attacks, Putin revealed that Russia had launched its new medium-range ballistic missile, "Oreshnik," for the first time in a non-nuclear configuration, targeting the "Yuzhmash" defence plant in Dnipro, Ukraine.

In his comments, Putin also addressed the issue of nuclear weapons, asserting that Russia will not allow Ukraine to acquire them.

Additionally, Putin discussed the use of the "Oreshnik" missile in the strike on the "Yuzhmash" plant. He described the missile’s warhead components as heating up to temperatures of 4,000 degrees Celsius, creating a kinetic impact similar to that of a meteorite. "The force of the kinetic strike is tremendous, similar to a meteorite impact," Putin said. "We know from history the consequences of meteorite impacts. Sometimes, it’s enough to create entire lakes."

Putin also confirmed that Russia had been struck twice by ATACMS missiles since the deployment of "Oreshnik." While the damage was minimal, it was still acknowledged.

Regarding potential future strikes on Ukrainian decision-making centres, including with "Oreshnik" missiles, Putin remarked, "Today, anything is possible. The forecast is: anything can happen today," referencing a Soviet-era joke about weather predictions.

By Tamilla Hasanova