Ukraine steps up air defence development in response to Russian missile ‘test’
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said testing a new weapon for purposes of terror in another country was an "international crime".
PHOTO: REUTERS
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KYIV - President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Nov 22 that Ukraine was working on developing new types of air defence to counter "new risks" following Russia's deployment of a new medium-range missile
Mr Zelensky, in his nightly video address, said testing a new weapon for purposes of terror in another country was an "international crime" and issued a new call for a world-wide "serious response" to keep Russia from expanding the war.
He was speaking a day after Russia fired a new intermediate-range weapon - called Oreshnik (hazel tree) - into Ukraine for the first time. Ukraine said the missile reached a top speed of more than 13,000kmh and took about 15 minutes to reach its target from its launch.
Intermediate missiles have a range of 3,000-5,500km, which would enable them to strike anywhere in Europe or the western US from Russia.
A US official, however, said the weapon Russia used was an experimental one. The official said Russia has a limited number of them and that this is not a capability that Russia is able to regularly deploy on the battlefield.
Russian President Vladimir Putin described the first use of Oreshnik as a successful test, and said more would follow.
Said Mr Zelensky: "On my behalf, the Minister of Defence of Ukraine is already holding meetings with our partners regarding new air defence systems capable of protecting lives from new risks.
"When someone starts using other countries not only for terror, but also for testing their new missiles through acts of terror, then this is clearly an international crime."
He said the world needed to come up with "a serious response so that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin will truly be afraid to expand the war and feels the real consequences of his actions".
Mr Zelensky called on Ukrainians to be vigilant in the face of continued Russian attacks.
"There is no other way in war," he said. "We must be aware that 'comrade' Putin will keep trying to intimidate us. That is how he built all his power." REUTERS
