Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed an expanded annual meeting of the Defense Ministry Board on Dec. 17, and expressed appreciation of the U.S. Trump administration’s readiness to dialogue, but noted that Russia has fully modernized its strategic defense capabilities, including the planned deployment of the hypersonic Oreshnik missile system before the end of 2025. The Oreshnik was field-tested in November 2024 with a non-nuclear strike on the Yuzhmash defense industry plant in Dnipro, Ukraine.
“Successful tests have been conducted for the Burevestnik strategic cruise missile with unlimited range and the Poseidon unmanned submersible,” Putin reported. “Given their nuclear propulsion systems, these platforms will remain unique and unmatched for the foreseeable future, ensuring Russia’s strategic parity, security, and global standing for decades to come. We will continue to develop these systems, enhancing and perfecting them, but they are already in service.
“By the end of the year, the medium-range missile system armed with the Oreshnik hypersonic missile will be placed on combat duty. Its first operational deployment was conducted last November.”
Michael Maloof, a former senior Pentagon security analyst, told RT in an interview on Dec. 12, that there is no defense against the Oreshnik, and that it could “easily shift the balance of power overwhelmingly in favor” of Russia in any conflict, “including the ongoing hostilities with Ukraine.”
Putin also reviewed the history of the Ukraine war, including NATO’s expansion eastward, and added that “Destructive instruments aimed at destabilizing Russia from within were also deployed—and this was entirely deliberate.” As for the current negotiations, “We are simply insisting that the promises made to us be honored. It was publicly stated that NATO would not expand eastward.”
He continued: “The United States administration has demonstrated such readiness [to seek a peaceful solution], and we are engaged in dialogue with it. I hope the same will eventually occur in Europe. It is unlikely with the current political elites, but it will be inevitable as we continue to strengthen, if not with the present politicians, then with a change of political elites in Europe.”
Putin added: “President Trump has said that had he been in office at the time, none of this would have happened. He may well be right. Because the previous administration deliberately brought matters to an armed conflict. And I think the reason is clear: They believed Russia could be swiftly broken up and dismantled.”
The contrary has occurred, and it is Ukraine that is now being degraded. “More than 100,000 criminal cases for desertion alone have been opened in Ukraine, and the total number of deserters is in the hundreds of thousands. This is a clear sign of degradation.”
