Russia has delivered a chilling warning to Europe regarding a missile they are prepared to use in the event of a global war.
As the U.S. President reportedly sets a hard 50-day deadline for Vladimir Putin to reach a peace deal in Ukraine - or face sanctions - Russia’s state-backed media is ramping up its warlike messaging.
The ominous warnings come amid rumors that Trump told the Russian leader in leaked audio he would “bomb the s**t out of Moscow,” a comment that sparked immediate backlash from Moscow-linked figures.
And now, Captain 1st Rank (Reserve) Vasily Dandykin - a regular voice on Putin’s favorite news outlet, Moskovskij Komsomolets - has gone on record issuing a particularly menacing warning, specifically naming the Oreshnik hypersonic missile, per the Daily Star.
“I don't think much will be needed,” he said when asked if Russia had enough missiles to target places like Estonia. “But seriously, I think it's time for our 'Oreshnik' to come out on stage again.”
He added: “And during the period of this ultimatum, I think our 'defense industry' is not sleeping and has already produced enough missiles.”
The Oreshnik missile, reportedly still in experimental stages, is said to be one of Russia’s most powerful weapons, with a range of up to 3,415 miles.
That makes it capable of striking not just across Europe but as far as the western United States.
President Putin has boasted the missile is “impossible to intercept” and has damage potential on par with a nuclear weapon - though Western experts have pushed back on these claims.
The weapon first drew international attention when Russia used a fleet of Oreshnik missiles to strike Ukraine back in November, per BBC News.
Since then, concerns have grown about their strategic reach and destructive capabilities.
In addressing the possibility of Ukraine and U.S.-backed strikes on Moscow, Dandykin echoed Putin’s defiance: “Even before Trump's so-called ultimatum, our president made it clear: 'either Russia will be free and sovereign, or it will not exist at all'.”
He didn’t stop there.
Dandykin argued that Russia should flip the script and issue its own ultimatum to the West: “It's time for us to present an ultimatum to Kyiv's guardians.
"That would be the best decision. They don't abandon their scoundrels until they've squeezed them dry - they won't calm down.”
In an increasingly inflammatory rant, he referenced Nazi-era slogans, saying: “Moreover, it seems that Merz's fascist grandfather has woken up, and the phrase 'Drang nach Osten' has gotten stuck in his head.”
The German term, meaning “pressure to the East,” was historically used during Nazi Germany’s expansionist campaigns.
He further warned: “The Poles are approaching, and they are already demanding access to the Black Sea. In a word, we have a lot of work ahead of us.”
These fiery remarks come at a time of increasing international anxiety over the direction of U.S.-Russia relations, with Trump’s 50-day ultimatum acting as a new pressure point in an already volatile geopolitical situation.