Putin threatens Kyiv with ‘nuclear-scale’ missile strike if Zelensky ruins his parade
Vladimir Putin has issued a warning to Kyiv, threatening the most devastating strike of the war should Ukrainian drones interfere with his major military parade in Moscow on Saturday.
His defense ministry cautioned that civilians and diplomats should “leave the city promptly” if Volodymyr Zelensky targets the Red Square event, as it would trigger a swift “massive retaliatory missile strike”. The Russian statement suggests the possibility of deploying the hypersonic Oreshnik [Hazel Tree] missile, which Putin claims possesses a destructive capability equivalent to a nuclear explosion when used conventionally.
Putin has previously stated: “If you use several such systems in one strike at once – two, three, or four systems – it will be comparable in strength to a nuclear strike.” Putin’s preferred newspaper, Komsomolskaya Pravda, reported today that Oreshnik “also has a nuclear configuration”.
The Kremlin’s threat emerged amid evident concern in Moscow that Ukraine’s enhanced drone and missile capabilities represent a substantial danger. According to one report, Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin’s mausoleum on Red Square may serve as shelter for VIP attendees at the annual Victory Day parade commemorating the anniversary of Hitler’s defeat should a Ukrainian attack occur.
Lenin’s preserved remains rest underground in a glass coffin within the vault near the Kremlin wall. He passed away in 1924.
Putin’s defence ministry warned civilians should ‘leave the city promptly’Â (Image: AFP via Getty Images)