After surprising NATO with a hypersonic missile, Russian president Vladimir Putin is currently threatening to send more cutting-edge missiles at Ukraine, this time threatening its power grid.
Two days after Ukraine fired U.S.-made ATACMS missiles into Russia, the Oreshnik ballistic missile was fired Nov. 21 at a Ukrainian military base.
The Oreshnik is a nuclear-capable weapon but military analyst Bob Maginnis says that first salvo was meant as a warning to the West.
“That was a message to the capitals of Western Europe that he's becoming a bit antsy about this,” Maginnis tells AFN.
AFN recently reported that Putin, following through on a threat made in September, signed his name to a document that formally loosens Russia’s nuclear attack policy.
That not-so-subtle threat came after Ukraine launched the ATACMS missiles deep inside Russia with the permission of President Biden.
Knowing his enemy in Ukraine, Putin has said Ukraine’s military can’t use the cutting-edge ATACMS missiles without direct help from NATO. That means NATO is helping Ukraine attack Russia, Putin claimed, and therefore has triggered the nuclear policy.
“[Putin] shook the nuclear rattle numerous times, basically, to communicate to NATO and the world that you will not violate his sovereignty, Russia's sovereignty, by invading his homeland," Maginnis tells AFN.
Asked about Putin launching a nuke at Kiev, Maginnis says the more likely strategy is for Putin to seek an end to the war when President Trump takes office in January.
A day after winning the Nov. 5 election, Trump talked to Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and to Putin.
