Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has urged Ukraine’s allies to take Moscow’s use of a hypersonic missile in the ongoing conflict seriously, warning that Russia is prepared to use “any means” to defend itself.
Speaking during an interview with U.S. media personality Tucker Carlson on Thursday, Lavrov cautioned, “The United States and its allies must understand that we are ready to use any means to prevent what they call the strategic defeat of Russia.”
Two weeks ago, Russia escalated the nearly three-year war by deploying its Oreshnik hypersonic missile against the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. President Vladimir Putin subsequently threatened to use the weapon against Kyiv in retaliation for Ukraine’s strikes on Russian territory, which were carried out using U.S.-supplied ATACMS missile systems.
Lavrov explained that the missile strike was intended as a “signal” to Ukraine’s backers. “We hope the recent use of the Oreshnik hypersonic missile was taken seriously,” he said, adding that while Russia does not seek escalation, “we will send additional messages if necessary conclusions are not drawn.”
The Oreshnik missile, according to Putin, travels at 10 times the speed of sound and is invulnerable to air defense systems. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced the missile strike as “the latest bout of Russian madness” and renewed calls for advanced air-defense systems to counter the threat.
‘This Is a Reality’
In the wide-ranging interview, Lavrov accused the United States of attempting to “bully” Russia and others on the global stage. He expressed Moscow’s preference for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, contingent on Ukraine respecting Russia’s “legitimate security interests.”
Lavrov outlined Russia’s demands for a potential peace deal, which include Kyiv’s acceptance of Russian sovereignty over the annexed regions of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia. “These regions are now part of the Russian Federation according to our constitution, and this is a reality,” he asserted.
The foreign minister also accused U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration of escalating the conflict to create difficulties for President-elect Donald Trump, who will take office in January. Trump has pledged to swiftly end the war, although he has not detailed his approach. Lavrov described Trump as “a strong person” who “wants results and doesn’t tolerate procrastination.”
