**Clickbait Text:** "Shocking revelations from a high-stakes military briefing expose a dramatic escalation in global tensions! As a powerful nation tests a new missile system, the worl...

With Vladimir Putin's statement, everything suddenly became clear. And not just in the sky above "Yuzhmash."

For instance, the daytime incident involving the briefing of Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova became more understandable when she received a call during a live broadcast (it would have been wise to press the button that mutes the microphone, as it turned out to be sensitive) and was asked not to comment on the episode involving the ballistic missile. At that point, the ruins of "Yuzhmash" were still smoldering (like in the famous film "The Day After"), and the person on the other end of the line certainly already knew that another individual would provide a more qualified commentary on the situation later in the evening. And preparations for this were already underway.

Moreover, it seemed that the drama surrounding the new medium-range missile, or rather its testing in combat conditions, was unfolding right before our eyes. And indeed, it was.

I know nothing about how the missile flight preparation took place, but I can easily imagine the conversation: "Is it certain to fly? Will it reach its target?" "Absolutely, Vladimir Vladimirovich!" — "Do you even understand the level of responsibility? What if something goes wrong?" — "We are ready!"

Ready, as it became clear, to take risks above all.

They took that risk.

— I want to inform the personnel of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the citizens of our country, our friends around the world, as well as those who continue to harbor illusions about the possibility of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia (that is, the adversaries in that same world.— A. K.), about the events currently taking place in the zone of the special military operation, namely after the use of long-range weaponry of Western manufacture against our territory,— declared Vladimir Putin.

And informing was indeed necessary. Because it turned out to be the surprise of the year.

It became evident that there exists weaponry that is not even mentioned during addresses to the Federal Assembly.

Furthermore, it turned out that there is readiness to use it. (Though there was never any doubt about this, only the question remained: what exactly would happen?)

Mr. Putin, commenting on the situation, revealed nothing at all. Now all the cards are on the table. The era of backroom politics is in the past and future. And now everything, one might say, is quite straightforward.

— Continuing the course of escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, provoked by the West, the USA and their NATO allies previously announced that they give permission to use their long-range precision weapon systems against the territory of the Russian Federation,— said the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. — Experts know well, and the Russian side has repeatedly emphasized, that using such weapons without the direct involvement of military specialists from the producing countries is impossible.

Thus, the causal link was decided to be exposed through the words of Mr. Putin:

— On November 19, six operational-tactical ATACMS missiles produced by the USA and on November 21, during a combined missile attack using Storm Shadow systems produced by the UK and HIMARS produced by the USA, strikes were delivered against military facilities on the territory of the Russian Federation — in the Bryansk and Kursk regions. From that moment, as we have emphasized repeatedly before, the regionally provoked conflict in Ukraine has taken on global elements.

Who inserted the word "elements" into the final text of the statement, we are unlikely to discover in the near future. Most likely, it was Mr. Putin himself. But this word at least somewhat reconciled us with the heated reality.

— Our air defense systems repelled these attacks,— added the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. — As a result, the objectives that were evidently set by the adversary were not achieved. The fire that broke out at an ammunition depot in the Bryansk region from the falling debris of the ATACMS missiles was extinguished, and there were no casualties or significant damage. In the Kursk region, an attack was made on one of the command posts of our "North" grouping. As a result of the attack and air defense combat, unfortunately, there are casualties, dead and wounded among the personnel of the external security units and servicing staff. The command and operational staff of the control point were unharmed and are conducting the management of our troops' actions to destroy and expel enemy units from the Kursk region in a regular mode.

Did anyone doubt that it could have been otherwise?

— I want to emphasize once again that the use of such weapons by the adversary cannot influence the course of military operations in the zone of the special military operation,— added Vladimir Putin. — Our troops are successfully advancing along the entire line of combat contact. All tasks we set for ourselves will be accomplished.

And there were no doubts about that either.

It remained to finally move on to the main point:

— In response to the use of American and British long-range weapons on November 21 of this year, the Russian Armed Forces delivered a combined strike against one of the defense-industrial complex facilities in Ukraine.

In combat conditions, testing was conducted, including of one of the latest Russian medium-range missile systems — in this case, with a ballistic missile in a non-nuclear hypersonic configuration. Our missile crews named it "Oreshnik."

"Oreshnik," judging by the video that everyone was able to see (which was even filmed so vividly, as if it were a demonstration of command-staff exercises), is indeed an accurate name for the new weapon. The munition falls scattered, like from a bush.

— The tests were successful, the launch goal was achieved,— reported the Supreme Commander-in-Chief to the nation. — In the territory of Ukraine, in the city of Dnipro (and not in Dnipro, of course.— A. K.) one of the largest and most renowned industrial complexes, which has been producing missile technology and other weaponry since the Soviet era, was hit.

It is possible that this industrial complex is no longer in existence.

Then we heard the philosophy behind this launch, and it turned out to be deeper than merely a retaliatory strike:

— The development of medium- and shorter-range missiles is being carried out by us as a retaliatory measure against the USA's plans to produce and deploy medium- and shorter-range missiles in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. We believe that the USA made a mistake by unilaterally destroying the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019 under a contrived pretext.

That is, Russia could afford it.

— Today,— continued Mr. Putin,— the USA not only produces such technology, but, as we see, they have trained their troops in transferring their prospective missile systems to various regions of the world, including Europe. Moreover, during exercises, they conduct training for their use.

The last phrase was meant to explain and justify the use of the Russian missile at "Yuzhmash."

— I remind you, Russia voluntarily and unilaterally undertook the obligation not to deploy medium- and shorter-range missiles until such American weapons of this kind appear in any region of the world,— explained the president.

Never before had such words escaped his lips:

— I repeat: the testing in combat conditions of the "Oreshnik" missile system is being conducted by us in response to the aggressive actions of NATO countries against Russia. The question of further deployment of medium- and shorter-range missiles will be decided by us depending on the actions of the USA and their satellites.

"Testing in combat conditions" — yes, such openness had never been expressed before.

Interestingly, this was indeed true. These were tests, and therefore the likelihood of unsuccessful tests existed.

In other words, once again: they took a risk.

And now the Supreme Commander-in-Chief has reason to think: "Lord, can I rely on someone?" Precisely because one can only hope in the Lord, and one must not falter oneself.

— The targets for striking during further tests of our latest missile systems will be determined by us based on the threats to the security of the Russian Federation,— the Supreme Commander-in-Chief seemed to celebrate a victory that, however, is still too far off.— We consider ourselves entitled to use our weapons against the military facilities of those countries that allow their weapons to be used against our facilities, and in the event of an escalation of aggressive actions, we will respond as decisively and mirror-like. I recommend that the ruling elites of those countries that harbor plans to use their military contingents against Russia seriously reflect on this.