Vladimir Putin has announced the successful test of a new generation of nuclear powered cruise
missile it's part of a program unveiled in 2018 to develop InterContinental and
Hypersonic missiles this is file video of a current Russian cruise missile the
latest version is known by NATO as the secc X9 Skyfall its nuclear propulsion
allows for near unlimited range and the low-flying stealth projectile could be
capable of outmaneuvering missile defense systems here's President Putin speaking on Thursday in
SOI I want to assure everyone that at the moment the response from Russia to a nuclear strike on
its territory is absolutely unacceptable for any potential aggressor because from the moment the
enemy missile launch is detected no matter where it comes from from any point in the world's oceans
or from any territory in a retaliatory Counter Strike so many hundreds of our missiles will
appear in the air that not a single enemy will have a chance of survival in several directions
at once Jill Putin is putting pressure on Ukraine and the West in a different way as well he just
announced the successful test of a new nuclear powerered missile uh no indication of when or
where it might be used but he's laying out clearly that he has very powerful weapons he's willing to
use oh yeah I mean this is classic Putin right now um a lot of nuclear threatening comments
he's talking about this um budha vnik missile it's a nuclear uh propulsion uh cruise missile
and by the way they have had a lot of trouble with this missile over the years going back to
like 2017 it was blowing up it had problems so we would have to to see whether actually
this is correct but that said this is another way that Putin simply UPS the anti and he immediately
turns to nuclear weapons which is one thing that you know is about the last thing that Russia has
that has any strength to it the economy is not in good shape military is not performing well so it's
it's another threatening uh situation just as if he say as he was saying today well we could pull
out of the comprehensive nuclear test SP treaty that's another I think um way of just constantly
trying to threaten the world I'm also eager to get your read on some statements that he made and and
you've obviously uh learned Kremlin dialogue very well your years working at the Moscow Bureau for
CNN he described Russia's war in Ukraine not as a conflict over territory but as a conflict over
principles how should we interpret that well well it's again this is really everything that you're
talking about Boris is what Vladimir Putin does this is his game card and I actually have been
to that conference The valai Forum where Putin talks for like three hours and I heard this a
long time ago the very same thing what he does is he says it's all the West's fault um we we
want to have a new world a new world that is not under the thumb of the West in the United States
but nobody would listen to us he has used that phrase many many times and then he criticizes
the arrogance of the West and then goes on to say I will do something which is a nuclear part
of it because they're doing it so this is again we have to we have to understand that Putin has
his approach this is really the show that he puts on to try to threaten the world and uh it's it's
kind of an old Playbook at this point but that said it is dangerous and threatening and it comes
as there is increased opposition in Congress to sending more Aid to Ukraine the United States uh
one of the biggest suppliers of military aid uh in the invasion of Ukraine by Russia what
ultimately happens if Congress delays sending Aid or or ultimately chooses to wait longer
before they do well there's no question that that would be a disaster for Ukraine Ukraine
needs the weapons that the United States and other countries are providing and I think this
is uh we've been speaking about Vladimir Putin this is his objective to wait it out to wait
for the West to fall apart to wait for political dissension to uh you know take a toll on support
for helping Ukraine divide the the allly divide Europe from the United States and he I think is
banking on something like that happening and um it really would be a terrible situation I
think if you look at the polls though if you look at the polling the majority of Americans still
do support uh Aid to Ukraine Jill dhy very much appreciate getting your perspective thanks so much