Rutte: Russia using Oreshnik to undermine NATO support for Ukraine
Photo: Mark Rutte (Getty Images)
Russia is using strikes with new missiles, including the Oreshnik, as a tool to intimidate the West in an effort to weaken support for Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said, according to la Repubblica.
Strikes on Ukraine as pressure on NATO
According to Rutte, Russia's brutal war of aggression continues, and last week the use of an Oreshnik missile against Lviv was recorded. In addition, Moscow continues its massive attacks on Ukraine’s civilian and energy infrastructure.
The NATO chief stressed that these actions are aimed not only at Ukraine but also at its partners.
"Russia is trying to deter us from supporting Ukraine, but we will not be intimidated," Rutte said.
Winter intensifies challenges for Ukraine
Rutte emphasized that in winter conditions, Ukraine faces particularly strong pressure due to strikes on its energy system. That is why support from allies is now critically important. He urged NATO countries to maintain unity and step up assistance to Kyiv.
"Ukraine’s security is our security," he added.
The Oreshnik missile strike
On the night of January 9, Russian forces struck the Lviv region with a medium-range ballistic missile. Initial reports suggested that an Oreshnik missile may have been used.
Russia later confirmed the launch of a ballistic missile toward Lviv, while once again spreading a fake claim about an alleged attack on the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, apparently in an attempt to justify another strike on Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later officially confirmed the use of the Oreshnik missile. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) released fragments of the munition used in the strike on the Lviv region and classified the attack as a war crime.
Reuters reported that the missile hit a site near the Polish border. According to journalists, the damage was minor: submunitions pierced concrete structures of an industrial facility and left craters in a forested area. Reuters also noted that the strike may have been demonstrative in nature and aimed at intimidating European countries.
