Ukraine asks for new systems to protect itself from Putin's missiles

Photo: Ukrainian Presidency via Associated Press kyiv “is already in discussions with our partners for new air defense systems — precisely the kind of systems that can protect lives from new risks,” Zelensky said.

Victoria Lukovenko – Agence France-Presse and Florent Vergnes – Agence France-Presse in Kiev and Dnipro respectively

Published at 8:12 AM Updated at 4:24 PM

• Europe

Ukraine is asking its Western allies for the latest-generation air defense systems to protect itself after a Russian hypersonic ballistic missile strike. Vladimir Putin ordered the mass production of the model on Friday, promising more strikes against Moscow's enemies.

Russia confirmed that it struck the city of Dnipro in Ukraine on Thursday with this new Oreshnik missile with an intermediate range (up to 5,500 km), a heavy missile with a strategic purpose but without its nuclear payload and whose launch from the Astrakhan region (southwest Russia) — a first in this war — has sent a chill through Europe.

“The Ukrainian Defense Minister is already in discussions with our partners on new air defense systems — precisely the kind of systems that can protect lives from new risks,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video message to his fellow citizens posted on social media Friday evening.

New “tests” of Russian Oreshnik missiles

Ukraine is notably equipped with American Patriot systems — with which it claims to have already intercepted several Kinjal hypersonic missiles touted as “invincible” by the Kremlin — and their Franco-Italian Samp/T equivalent, although in too small a number to protect all its cities.

But Russia claims once again to have with the Oreshnik missile a device that is impossible to intercept and capable of reaching all countries in Europe.

Russian President Vladimir Putin touted the weapon's “power” in a televised meeting with military officials on Friday and ordered “serial production to begin.”

“We will continue these tests, including in combat situations, depending on the situation and the nature of threats to Russia's security,” he added, raising the threat of further strikes against Ukraine. The latter struck Russian territory this week with American and British missiles.

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US President Joe Biden lifted his veto on these launches at the end of last week, arguing in particular that thousands of North Korean soldiers were being mobilized alongside Russian troops.

A senior US official on Friday played down the threat posed by the new Russian missile.

“This was an experimental weapon of which Russia has a limited number and which it is not able to deploy regularly on the battlefield,” said the official under cover of anonymity.

Orban calls not to minimize

Moscow’s best ally within the European Union, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, for his part called on Friday not to minimize the threats from Russia, a country equipped with “the most destructive weapons in the world” and “which bases its policy, its place in the world in general on military force.”

Volodymyr Zelensky argued on Friday, however, that Russia’s demonstrative use of a missile of this type to strike Ukraine “ridiculates the position of states like China, states of the Global South, of certain leaders who call for restraint every time.”

Vladimir Putin placed the blame for the escalation on the West on Thursday evening, during a speech to the nation. He said the war in Ukraine had now taken on a “global character” and threatened to strike countries supplying weapons to kyiv.

NATO and Ukraine are due to meet in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss the situation, with kyiv saying it is waiting for “concrete” decisions from its allies.

Ukrainian parliament deserted for fear of strikes

On the ground, the Russian army has been advancing little by little for months at the cost of heavy losses in eastern Ukraine.

A high-ranking source within the Ukrainian general staff indicated on Friday that Russian troops were advancing “200-300 metres per day” near Kurakhove, one of the towns that could soon fall.

Near Pokrovsk, a major logistics hub for Ukrainian forces, the situation is more favorable and “has hardly changed in the last two months,” according to the military source.

Ukrainian forces, who are short of recruits and equipment, have no intention of withdrawing from the Russian region of Kursk, further north, of which they still control “around 800 km2” since their incursion in August, the source reported.

In kyiv, the Parliament, the Rada, cancelled its session due to “signals of an increased risk of attacks on the government district in the coming days”, several deputies explained to AFP.

In the heart of the capital, this district where the presidency, the seat of government and the Central Bank are also located has so far been spared from the bombings.

“Roar” and “series of explosions” Thursday in Dnipro

In Dnipro, a city in central Ukraine with a population of nearly a million before the war, which was hit by the Oreshnik missile strike on Thursday, residents interviewed by AFP on Friday were still in shock, although accustomed to Russian strikes.

“We are always afraid, but this was different,” said Janna, 49, who works in a market.

Ian Valetov, a writer, said he heard a “powerful roar” and a “series of explosions.”

Ukrainian authorities have remained silent on the damage caused. The strike is believed to have targeted a factory owned by the PivdenMach group, which produces missile components. AFP journalists were unable to confirm that the factory had been hit.

“The main message is that the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries that produce missiles, supply them to Ukraine and then participate in strikes on Russian territory cannot remain without a response from Russia,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted on Friday.

Western capitals, for their part, condemned a dangerous “escalation” as well as Moscow's “irresponsible” rhetoric on the use of nuclear weapons. China called for “restraint.”