Putin announced the resumption of medium- and short-range missile production, which analysts at the Institute for the Study of War see as an attempt to influence the West’s decision on military aid to Ukraine.
About this write Institute for the Study of War.
Putin ordered the production and deployment of such missiles, citing the withdrawal of the United States from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019. However, ISW believes that this is part of the Kremlin’s reflexive control campaign aimed at manipulating Western decisions.
The President of the Russian Federation also mentioned two American military exercises in 2024, where Typhoon launchers capable of launching medium-range missiles were used. He used the exercises as a pretext for his statement, even though they did not pose a direct threat to Russia.
Putin’s statement came after China condemned American exercises in the Philippines. Analysts believe that this is Putin’s attempt to enlist the support of China and other countries in creating a new “Eurasian security architecture.”
ISW notes that the Kremlin actively uses the fear of a nuclear confrontation to prevent Western military aid to Ukraine, especially at key moments in the political debate.
Putin specifically mentioned two US bilateral military exercises in 2024: one with the Philippines in Northern Luzon (Philippines) on April 11 and another with Denmark near the island of Bornholm (Denmark) on May 3-5.
Both of these bilateral US exercises involved the Typhoon medium-range launcher, which the US says can launch SM-6 and Tomahawk missiles. The SM-6 missiles have a maximum range of 370 km, while the Tomahawks have a maximum range of about 2,500 km .American officials did not specify which missiles, if any, may have been involved in both exercises.
Analysts note that the Kremlin uses these efforts especially actively at key moments of political discussions in the West regarding the provision of further military aid to Ukraine.
