International News & Views

By: Nancy Pozzi
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  • We want to provide courageous information, as uncomfortable as necessary, but at the same time safe, protected from unverified news or of dubious origin.
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Episodes
  • What we know about Russia’s new Oreshnik missile.

    What we know about Russia’s new Oreshnik missile.
    Nov 23 2024
    What we know about Russia’s new Oreshnik missile.RT news breaks down everything known about the new medium-range hypersonic weapon.Russia’s newly unveiled Oreshnik missile has quickly become the focus of major international attention. Announced by President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, this medium-range hypersonic weapon is seen as a significant advancement in the country’s missile capabilities. One that could have far-reaching consequences for both the Ukraine conflict and broader international security. With its apparently unmatched speed and precision, and the prospect of mass production on the immediate horizon, this missile could be a game-changer for Moscow’s military operation. Here’s what we know so far about the Oreshnik and its potential impact.1. A new weapon, not an upgrade.Contrary to some claims, the Oreshnik is not an upgrade of Soviet-era missile systems, according to Putin. Instead, it is a completely new development built on modern Russian technology. The president emphasized that the missile represents the culmination of efforts within “New Russia,” referring to developments after the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991. “It was created on the basis of modern, latest developments,” he stated.2. Hypersonic capabilities and precision.The Oreshnik missile is described as a high-precision, medium-range weapon, with hypersonic speed. Putin clarified that while it is not considered a “strategic” weapon, its capabilities are still formidable. “Due to its striking power, especially with massive, collective use, and even in combination with other high-precision long-range systems, the use of Oreshnik will be comparable in power to strategic weapons,” he said.This missile is designed to fly at speeds of up to Mach 10 (around 7,600 miles/12,200km per hour), which is roughly ten times the speed of sound. The high velocity makes it extremely difficult to intercept using current missile defense systems. “There are no means of counteracting Oreshnik-type complexes in the world,” Putin asserted, explaining that Western missile defense systems, including those deployed in Western Europe, cannot intercept such fast-moving projectiles.3. First combat use and response to Ukraine.The Oreshnik missile was first used in combat on November 21, 2024, when it struck a Ukrainian defense facility in the city of Dnepropetrovsk. The target was the Yuzhmash industrial complex, a key Ukrainian defense site inherited from the USSR that produces missile equipment. Putin justified the strike as a response to Kiev’s use of long-range missiles, like the American ATACMS and British Storm Shadow systems, against Russian territory. “The regional conflict in Ukraine has acquired elements of a global character,” Putin said, highlighting the broader implications of Western involvement.4. Mass production and deployment.Following the successful test and first use of the new weapon, Russia has committed to mass-producing the system. “Serial production of Oreshnik is practically organized,” Putin confirmed, with the missiles slated for inclusion in Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces (RSVS). This suggests that they will become a key part of Russia’s long-term military strategy, with the potential for widespread deployment in the coming months.Putin noted that the missile’s development process was swift and efficient, with domestic technologies ensuring that Moscow has “resolved import substitution issues.” This suggests that Russia has managed to develop the Oreshnik entirely with its own resources, minimizing reliance on foreign components.5. Global impact and strategic significance.The Oreshnik missile has the potential to change the dynamics of the Ukraine conflict. According to General Sergei Karakayev, the head of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, the Oreshnik “can hit targets throughout Europe.” This makes the missile not only a powerful weapon in the context of Ukraine but also one that could have wider geopolitical implications if tensions escalate further.While Russia has not explicitly described the missile as a weapon of mass destruction, its precision and destructive power mean that it could be used to target critical infrastructure in enemy states. In Putin’s view, it provides Russia with a technological advantage that currently cannot be matched by any other country.6. International reactions and future developments.The Oreshnik missile has raised alarms in the West. The use of this new weapon, combined with the conflict in Ukraine, has spurred calls to strengthen air defenses. Ukrainian officials have already approached the US to discuss receiving advanced systems, which could include modernized Patriots or even Aegis missile defense platforms. However, there is no evidence to suggest they would be effective against the Oreshnik.
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    5 mins
  • ICC issues arrest warrant for Netanyahu.

    ICC issues arrest warrant for Netanyahu.
    Nov 21 2024
    ICC issues arrest warrant for Netanyahu.
    Prosecutors in The Hague are also seeking the detention of Israel’s former defence minister, Yoav Gallant.
    The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague announced on Thursday that it has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the Gaza conflict.
    Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif has also been named in a warrant for similar charges.
    The court accuses Netanyahu and Gallant of using starvation as a method of warfare, alleging they deliberately deprived Gaza’s civilian population of essential supplies, including food, water, and medicine.
    Prosecutors claim there was “no obvious military necessity” for such actions, which amount to violations of international law.
    Both Israeli politicians could face arrest if they travel to any of the 123 countries that are signatories to the ICC’s Rome Statute.
    The charges are part of a broader ICC investigation that includes alleged crimes by Hamas during its October 7 attacks on Israel.
    Prosecutors have accused Deif, the mastermind of the assault, of murder, torture, and hostage-taking. Israel claims to have killed Deif in an airstrike earlier this year, though Hamas has not confirmed his death.
    The move has sparked an immediate backlash. Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called the ICC warrants a “mark of shame,” while opposition leader Yair Lapid labeled the decision “a reward for terrorism.”
    The Israeli government has consistently denied committing war crimes and rejects the court’s jurisdiction. The US and Russia – among others – also don’t recognise the ICC.
    Israel has challenged the ICC’s jurisdiction and argued that it was not given the opportunity to investigate the allegations internally. Netanyahu’s government has dismissed the Hague’s actions as politically motivated interference.
    In Washington, incoming Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune has threatened sanctions against the ICC, echoing earlier House-approved legislation. “If the ICC does not reverse this outrageous action, the Senate must act to sanction the court,” Thune said.
    Other Republican lawmakers, including Senator Susan Collins, pledged to support Israel and press for punitive measures against the ICC.
    The ICC prosecutor, Karim Khan, initially requested arrest warrants in May, alleging widespread violations during Israel’s military response to Hamas. The court said its Pre-Trial Chamber found “reasonable grounds” to believe the accused were responsible for crimes against humanity, including persecution and inhumane acts.
    Last year, the ICC issued similar warrants for the detention of both Russian President Vladimir Putin and the country's Children's Rights Commissioner Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova.
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    3 mins
  • Russia’s new nuclear doctrine (KEY POINTS).

    Russia’s new nuclear doctrine (KEY POINTS).
    Nov 20 2024
    Russia’s new nuclear doctrine (KEY POINTS).
    President Vladimir Putin has approved changes to the Basic Principles of State Policy of the Russian Federation on Nuclear Deterrence.
    Russian President Vladimir Putin has officially signed a new national nuclear doctrine that outlines the scenarios in which Moscow would be authorized to deploy its nuclear arsenal. Here are the key points of the updated document, as stipulated on the Kremlin's website.
    1. State policy on Nuclear Deterrence is defensive by nature, it is aimed at maintaining the nuclear forces potential at the level sufficient for nuclear deterrence, and guarantees protection of national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the State, and deterrence of a potential adversary from aggression against the Russian Federation and/or its allies. In the event of a military conflict, this Policy provides for the prevention of an escalation of military actions and their termination on conditions that are acceptable for the Russian Federation and/or its allies.
    2. The Russian Federation considers nuclear weapons as a means of deterrence, their use being an extreme and compelled measure, and takes all necessary efforts to reduce nuclear threat and prevent aggravation of interstate relations, that could trigger military conflicts, including nuclear ones.
    3. The Russian Federation ensures nuclear deterrence toward a potential adversary, which is understood to mean any individual states or military coalitions (blocs, alliances) which see the Russian Federation as a potential adversary and possess nuclear arms and/or other weapons of mass destruction or conventional forces with a significant combat capability. Nuclear deterrence is also ensured toward any states which provide the territory, airspace, and/or maritime space under their control as well as resources for preparing and conducting an aggression against the Russian Federation.
    4. An aggression of any single state from a military coalition (bloc, alliance) against the Russian Federation and/or its allies will be regarded as an aggression of the coalition (bloc, alliance) as a whole.
    5. An aggression against the Russian Federation and/or its allies of any non-nuclear state with the participation or support of a nuclear state will be regarded as their joint attack.
    6. The Russian Federation reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in response to the use of nuclear arms and/or other weapons of mass destruction against itself and/or its allies, as well as in the event of an aggression against the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus as constituents of the Union State using conventional arms, if such an aggression creates a critical threat for their sovereignty and/or territorial integrity.
    7. The decision to use nuclear weapons is taken by the President of the Russian Federation.
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    3 mins

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