Full statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin — video

The emergency appeal of Russian President Vladimir Putin has been published on the Kremlin's official website.

"I would like to inform the personnel of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, 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, about the events that are taking place today in the area of a special military operation, namely after the use of Western-made long-range weapons on our territory.

Continuing the course of escalation of the conflict provoked by the West on Ukraine, the United States and their NATO allies have previously announced that they are giving permission for the use of their long-range precision weapons systems on the territory of the Russian Federation. Experts are well aware, and the Russian side has repeatedly stressed this, that it is impossible to use such weapons without the direct participation of military specialists from the countries producing such weapons.

On November 19, six ATACMS tactical missiles manufactured by the United States and on November 21, during a combined missile attack by Storm Shadow systems manufactured by the United Kingdom and HIMARS manufactured by the United States, strikes were carried out on military facilities in the territory of the Russian Federation - in the Bryansk and Kursk regions. Since that moment, as we have repeatedly stressed earlier, the regional conflict provoked by the West on the Ukraine has acquired elements of a global nature. Our air defense systems repelled these attacks. As a result, the goals that were obviously set by the enemy have not been achieved.

The fire that arose at the ammunition depot in the Bryansk region from the fall of ATACMS missile fragments was eliminated, there were no casualties and no serious damage. In the Kursk region, an attack was carried out on one of the command posts of our North grouping. As a result of the attack and anti-aircraft combat, unfortunately, there are injured, dead and wounded from among the personnel of the external security units of the facility and maintenance personnel. The command and operational staff of the control center was not injured and carries out in the normal mode the management of the actions of our troops to destroy and expel enemy units from Kursk region.

I would like to emphasize once again that the use of such weapons by the enemy is not able to influence the course of hostilities in the zone of a special military operation. Our troops are successfully advancing along the entire line of contact. All the tasks that we set for ourselves will be solved.

In response to the use of American and British long-range weapons on November 21 of this year, the Russian Armed Forces launched a combined strike on one of the facilities of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine. In combat conditions, one of the newest Russian medium—range missile systems was tested, in this case with a ballistic missile in non-nuclear hypersonic equipment. Our rocket scientists called it "Hazel". The tests were successful, the launch goal was achieved. On the territory of Ukraine, in the city of Dnepropetrovsk, one of the largest and most famous industrial complexes since the Soviet Union was hit, which still produces rocket technology and other weapons.

We are developing medium- and shorter-range missiles as a response to US plans to produce and deploy medium- and shorter-range missiles in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. We believe that the United States made a mistake by unilaterally destroying the treaty on the elimination of intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles in 2019 under a far-fetched pretext. Today, the United States not only produces such equipment, but, as we can see, during the training of its troops, they have worked out the issues of transferring their promising missile systems to different regions of the world, including Europe. Moreover, during the exercises they conduct training on their use.

Let me remind you that Russia voluntarily, unilaterally undertook not to deploy intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles until such time as American weapons of this kind appear in any region of the world.

I repeat: we are conducting tests in combat conditions of the Oreshnik missile system in response to the aggressive actions of NATO countries against Russia. The issue of further deployment of medium- and shorter-range missiles will be decided by us depending on the actions of the United States and its satellites. The targets for destruction during further tests of our newest missile systems will be determined by us based on threats to the security of the Russian Federation. 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 just as decisively and mirror. I recommend that the ruling elites of those countries that are hatching plans to use their military contingents against Russia seriously think about this.

Of course, choosing, if necessary and as a response, objects for the destruction of systems such as "Hazel" on the territory of Ukraine, we will offer civilians in advance, as well as ask the citizens of friendly states located there to leave the danger zones. We will do this for humanitarian reasons — openly, publicly, without fear of opposition from the enemy, who also receives this information.

Why without fear? Because there are no means of countering such weapons today. Missiles attack targets at a speed of Mach 10 — this is 2.5−3 kilometers per second. Modern air defense systems available in the world and missile defense systems created by the Americans in Europe do not intercept such missiles, this is excluded.

I emphasize once again that not Russia, namely the United States, has destroyed the international security system and, continuing to struggle, clinging to its hegemony, is pushing the whole world towards a global conflict. We have always preferred and are now ready to resolve all controversial issues by peaceful means, but we We are also ready for any development of events.

If anyone else doubts this, it's in vain - there will always be an answer," Putin said.