After Ukrainian air defence units shot down 50 of the 73 drones fired on Sunday night, the 25th of November, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Ukraine’s Western partners to focus their efforts on helping to secure air defence systems, capable of protecting people, but on Friday he said Ukraine was working on developing new air defences to counter “new risks” after Russia used a new medium-range missile dubbed the “Oreshnik” (Hazel Tree), according to Reuters.
Ukrainian investigators are examining debris from the new Russian intermediate-range ballistic missile fired at Dnipro on Thursday, the first use of such a powerful weapon in the war.
Ukrainian experts are studying such debris to gain insight into Russian military supply chains, production and how to develop countermeasures.
Zelenskyy said in a video address late at night that expert examination of the missile fragments was continuing “to determine all the details and specifications of the missile. And to jointly find a response to this escalatory step”.
“There are air defence systems in the world that can also defend against this kind of threat,” he said. “That is what we all need to focus on.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Oreshnik missile was used in response to Ukraine’s use of Western missiles against targets in Russia last week.
Putin stated that the interception of the Oreshnik missile was impossible.
In remarks published on Telegram on Sunday, Zelenskyy said that “almost every day” an air raid alert is sounded across the country.
He pointed out that in the past week Russia has deployed more than 800 guided aerial bombs, some 460 drones and more than 20 missiles of various types.
“Ukraine is not a weapons testing ground. Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state. But Russia continues its efforts to kill our people, spread fear and panic and weaken us,” he said.
During his Friday evening address, Zelenskyy said that “Ukraine’s defence minister is already holding meetings with our partners on new air defence systems capable of protecting lives from new risks”.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law that will forgive debts of up to ten million roubles (95 835 US dollars)
for those who join the armed forces to fight in Ukraine for at least a year as of the 1st of December.
Central bank data show that Russians have been increasingly taking on consumer credit debt since February 2022, when the Kremlin sent troops to Ukraine.
Russia has encouraged the recruitment of military personnel by offering high compensation well above average salaries, thus allowing the army to increase its numbers in Ukraine without triggering a new mass mobilisation, as was the case in September 2022.