00:00Ukraine warns of long-range strikes as Zelensky signals capability to hit Moscow.
00:06Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that Ukraine possesses the capability
00:11to strike deep into Russian territory, including Moscow, using domestically produced long-range
00:16missiles. Speaking to journalists upon his return from a historic visit to Belgrade, Serbia,
00:22his first trip to a former Yugoslav state since the war began, Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine
00:28is preparing to respond to Russia's ongoing missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities.
00:34Ukraine's Domestic Missile Program
00:36Zelensky confirmed that Ukraine has produced and stockpiled its own long-range ballistic missiles,
00:43including models designated S-7, F-P-5, F-P-7, and F-P-9. These missiles range from 500
00:51kilometers
00:52to over 2,500 kilometers, with some next-generation variants reportedly capable of reaching 5,000
00:59kilometers. The missiles carry warheads weighing between 500 and 1,150 kilograms and are designed
01:06to strike military targets, not civilian infrastructure. Ukrainian officials and
01:11industry representatives have stated that these missiles are supersonic and comparable to Russia's
01:16Iskander system. Notably, Ukrainian drones have already reached Moscow and St. Petersburg in recent
01:23weeks, causing significant concern among Russian citizens and prompting the Kremlin to announce the
01:28construction of bomb shelters 40 kilometers outside the capital. A shift in strategic balance
01:35Analysts view Ukraine's long-range missile capability as a shift toward missile parity with
01:40Russia. Ukraine has been seeking ballistic missile authorization from the U.S. and European allies,
01:46including Britain's Storm Shadow, France's Scalp, and Germany's Taurus, but has been restricted from
01:52using them against targets deep inside Russia. With its own production, Ukraine now claims the right
01:58to strike Russian military targets without external restrictions. Zelensky made clear that while
02:04Ukraine will retaliate for Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities, including recent ballistic missile attacks
02:09on Kyiv that have killed civilians, Ukrainian weapons are not aimed at Russian civilian homes or lives.
02:16We must retaliate. We will not allow the invaders to have a chance to attack us, he stated.
02:22Domestic reactions and concerns
02:24Russian public opinion has shifted, with a reported 60 to 70 percent of Russians now expressing a desire to
02:32end the war, fearing that the conflict has returned to their own doorstep.
02:36Social media posts across Russia reveal growing anxiety about the war's trajectory
02:41and doubts about Russia's ability to win on Ukrainian territory, even with continued mobilization.
02:48Observers have warned that if Ukraine strikes Moscow with its most powerful Neptune missiles,
02:54it could escalate the war dramatically. Russia retains nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles
03:00and heavy ballistic systems that have not yet been fully deployed. If Russia were to use nuclear
03:06weapons, it would be a desperate attempt to force Ukraine's surrender. However, analysts believe that
03:13even a nuclear strike on Kyiv or other Ukrainian territory would not compel President Zelensky to surrender.
03:20Ukraine's leadership has repeatedly stated that no Ukrainian territory will be traded for peace,
03:26and the country's resolve remains unbroken despite nearly four years of war.
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