This morning everyone on Twitter is saying that yes this was a mid-range ICBM, which triggered the West's ICBM launch detection network, and the Western powers didn't know at first whether it was a nuke or just conventional. Others say that Russia did warn the West before launching to avoid having them react mistakenly as if it was a nuke.I saw a claim they used a zircon already a couple days ago. If it isn't launched over intercontinental distances, it's not an ICBM.
For all intents and purposes, if it's not carrying a bunch of nuclear MIRV warheads, it's also not an ICBM. It's just a big conventional missile.
This morning everyone on Twitter is saying that yes this was a mid-range ICBM, which triggered the West's ICBM launch detection network, and the Western powers didn't know at first whether it was a nuke or just conventional. Others say that Russia did warn the West before launching to avoid having them react mistakenly as if it was a nuke.
Either way, this is being seen as the response to the West firing the ATACMS and Storm missiles at Russia. Basically saying if we keep messing with them, next time it might really be a nuke.
I’m always amazed at people, groups of people, and countries who act this way. They keep escalating and provoking then when the other party strikes back suddenly they claim the other party is the aggressor and they are victims.
"The RS-26 did not go into serial production because of this ambiguity; at the time, Russia was a signatory to the INF treaty, which prohibited intermediate range missiles."...
"Donald Trump withdrew from the INF treaty in 2019.If the United States had remained in the treaty, this version of the RS-26 would not have been available for use by Russia."
Maybe that's part of the message and timing of this weapon's application. The Russians have hit Dnipro plenty of times before. I don't know if this weapon has a big warhead/capability difference, but the delivery method is unique so far. Maybe it wouldn't have happened without US withdrawal from this treaty (amongst many other such treaty/agreement withdrawals/violations.
Straight from the horse's mouth, the first 7:40 is Putin's nationwide address (the rest is filler). Tweets are good, but source materials are better for complex situations.
What I picked up from the full version is that this is a very direct threat, clearly communicated. To paraphrase: If you hit us again in Russia, we will hit a military facility in another nation. We will provide warning, so that civilians can evacuate. There is nothing that you can do to prevent this, the West does not have an anti-missile system that can stop an attack coming in at Mach 10.
Elsewhere, I saw the Russia supposedly warned the US in advance about the missile attack today, to prevent any nuclear misinterpretations.
These are incredibly dangerous times, the time for sane people to de-escalate is right now.
Mainstream media in the Netherlands claiming that the head of NATO flew to Florida to meet Trump with a Dutch government airplane.
Think of what this means. Every major city in Western Europe is within striking range in 10-15 minutes. The Russians are planning on putting them on subs that can sit off coastlines, leaving cities like London, Paris, or Berlin within 3-5 minutes range. That leaves barely enough time to run orders up the chain of command, let alone deploy troops or get people to shelters. It is my understanding that these things travel at MACH 10-12, depending on what payload they carry. The West has nothing that can intercept them. Tired and worn-out western/Hellyweird delusional fantasies that Russia is a stupid 3rd world backward hellhole have left western military readiness with its pants down. Checkmate, ziobiotches.
I heard that, because as he has shown with the Ukraine, he does not want to hit civilians. However, I doubt he would give any warning to military targets. That was what I meant about there not being enough time to seek shelter...on military bases. Some might make it, but not everyone.Putin has said that he will give enough warning to allow civilians to be evacuated from an area about to be hit.
Not sure if thats just a few hours or a day or two.
With this first one, he issued a warning first that they were going to launch, and that it was not a nuke.I heard that, because as he has show with the Ukraine, he does not want to hit civilians. However, I doubt he would give any warning to military targets. That was what I meant about there not being enough time to seek shelter...on military bases. Some might make it, but not everyone.
He only used the Kinzhal on Ukrainian targets, right?If this Hazelnut missile is such a game-changer, why was it not used by Russia earlier? Wouldn’t it have been in Putin’s interest to show his hand here earlier and potentially save hundreds of thousands of Slavic lives from the current status quo of retaking land meter by meter in a trench war of attrition?
This reminds me of the Kinzhal hypersonic missiles when they first debuted, as they were also a game-changer unanswered by western forces. And yet the west was not deterred and has kept stubbornly propping up the proxy war… not intending to undermine what this new weapon might mean, just genuinely curious if anyone has an explanation?
He only used the Kinzhal on Ukrainian targets, right?
Using them or Hazelbuns on an actual NATO target or city would definitely be a game changer because of how the general public would react. The focus would shift from convenient unquestioned Ukraine support to people asking themselves and the government if there is a way to stop this ASAP.
Very few western civilians are interested in an actual taking place right here with mass casualties.