The Pentagon spokeswoman informed reporters that Russia may launch another ‘Oreshnik’ hypersonic missile at Ukraine in the near future.
The Kremlin spokesman stated that Moscow would retaliate against an alleged Ukrainian missile strike on a military airfield in southern Russia. The attack, carried out with U.S.-made ATACMS, resulted in injuries to Russian personnel, as confirmed by Russia’s Ministry of Defence.
“The response will be appropriate and forthcoming,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. “There will be a response, without a doubt.”
On Dec. 11, Moscow announced that Ukrainian forces had fired six ATACMS missiles at a military airfield near the city of Taganrog in the Rostov region of Russia.
Russia’s defense ministry stated, “This attack using Western long-range weapons will not go unanswered. Corresponding actions will be taken.”
According to the ministry, two missiles were intercepted by the Russian Pantsir air-defense system, while the rest were neutralized by electronic warfare systems.
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It was reported that debris from the falling missiles caused injuries to Russian personnel and damage to structures and vehicles at the airfield.
There was minor damage to two buildings, military vehicles, and civilian cars near the airfield, as confirmed by the defense ministry.
Peskov reiterated the ministry’s intent to respond following its clear statement on Dec. 12.
As of now, there has been no statement from Kyiv regarding the alleged missile attack or Russia’s promise to retaliate, which could not be independently verified by The Epoch Times.
The Epoch Times has sought comments from the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Defense regarding the reported Ukrainian missile strike.
Taganrog, near eastern Ukraine, was the target of the missile strike, a region previously invaded and annexed by Russia in 2022.
Hypersonic Response
On Nov. 21, Ukraine launched advanced Western missile systems into Russia, resulting in casualties among Russian military personnel.
Two days earlier, Ukrainian forces attacked Russia’s Bryansk region with ATACMS missiles.
Firefighters work at the site of a Russian missile strike in Dnipro, Ukraine, on Nov. 21, 2024. Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Dnipropetrovsk region/Reuters
These attacks followed a policy shift by the Biden administration, permitting Ukraine to use Western-supplied missile systems for strikes inside Russia.
Hours after the Nov. 21 attack, Russia fired a hypersonic ballistic missile at a facility near Dnipro in Ukraine.
Details on the damage caused by the strike, confirmed by U.S. and Ukrainian sources, remain unclear.
In response to the attacks, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated the ongoing conflict in Ukraine had taken on “global” proportions due to Kyiv’s use of Western missile systems.
Putin also alleged that the use of these systems required the direct involvement of military experts from the supplying nations.
The U.S. Pentagon’s Sabrina Singh responded to Putin’s remarks, emphasizing the importance of supporting Ukraine on the battlefield amidst the escalating tensions.
In a press briefing on Dec. 11, Singh warned that Russia may launch another Oreshnik hypersonic missile in the near future.
She noted that Russia’s actions were an attempt to intimidate Ukraine and reiterated U.S. support for Ukrainian forces.