Official announcements from the Russian Ministry of Defense or credible news reports

Russia's Lavrov Warns West with 'Oreshnik' Test, Seeks Normal US Relations

Dec 5, 2024, 11:30 PM

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in an interview with Tucker Carlson, stated that Russia does not seek war with the United States and desires normal relations. Lavrov emphasized that Russia is prepared to use any means to defend its interests, highlighting the recent test of the 'Oreshnik' hypersonic missile as a clear signal to the West. He warned that discussions of a limited nuclear strike are an invitation to catastrophe that Russia wants to avoid. Lavrov noted that Russia and the US currently maintain dialogue mainly through prisoner exchange channels. He reiterated that Russia does not intend to destroy the Ukrainian people, whom he referred to as 'brothers and sisters,' and asserted that it is mistaken for anyone in the West to believe that Russia has no 'red lines.' He stated that Russia's conditions are 'No NATO, no military bases, no military exercises with foreign troops on Ukrainian soil.'