The Lead

Putin Gives Stark Address on the ‘Elements of a Global Nature’ of Conflict, after U.S./U.K. Attacks Inside Russia

by Marcia Merry Baker (EIRNS) — Nov. 21, 2024

Today Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a starkly clear strategic assessment in a video presentation, as an address to “military personnel of the Russian Federation Armed Forces, citizens of our country, our friends across the globe, and those who persist in the illusion that a strategic defeat can be inflicted upon Russia.” This Alert includes the full transcript of his eight-minute remarks, from the translation on the website of the President of Russia.

Putin’s opening referred to “the attacks by Western long-range weapons against our territory.” He reported, “On November 19, six ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles produced by the United States, and on November 21, during a combined missile assault including British Storm Shadow systems and HIMARS systems produced by the U.S., attacked military facilities inside the Russian Federation in the Bryansk and Kursk regions.”

Hours before Putin’s address, Russia delivered a strike on Dnepropetrovsk (the Ukrainians call it Dnipro), part of “Ukraine’s defense industrial complex,” where missiles are manufactured. Putin described Russia’s new Oreshnik missile system used in the attack, saying that, “Our decision on further deployment of intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles will depend on the actions of the United States and its satellites.” He warned that in the face of the West’s “escalation of aggressive actions, we will respond decisively and in mirror-like manner.”

On November 22, the International Peace Coalition will hold its 77th consecutive Friday meeting, will have experts among participants to evaluate this week’s momentous events, and what actions are priority to force a break in the Western drive toward doom.

The United States is more and more isolated in important respects, but remains insanely deployed for aggression and destruction. Among the 15 members of the UN Security Council yesterday, the vote was 14 to 1 against the United States, on a resolution for ceasefire and related measures in Gaza (although the U.S. vote did veto the ceasefire resolution). Even Britain and France voted with the majority. The resolution was sponsored by all 10 of the rotating member nations of the Council.

Even in the U.S. Senate this week, resolutions to stop supplying certain U.S. munitions to Israel gained more votes, and from Democrats, than when it had come up earlier this year. The resolution still failed, but several Senators snubbed a White House directive that arms to Israel cannot be stopped.

At the time of the UN and Senate votes, an article on Gaza by veteran journalist Seymour Hersh reported on the horrific situation, and the prospect of Israel’s early annexation of northern Gaza and the West Bank. Posted November 21, Hersh’s article is headlined, “Force Evacuation and Smash the Camps, a Report from Inside Gaza.”

To repeat, join in the mobilization led by the International Peace Coalition. The upcoming Schiller Institute (online) conference on Dec. 7-8 is a critical opportunity for a breakout against the hopeless war paradigm. In the next few days, a rush Schiller Institute study will be released, with the introduction by Schiller Institute founder and leader Helga Zepp-LaRouche titled, “Development Drive Means Billions of New Jobs, No Refugees, No War.”