FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin conducts an exercise of Russia's strategic nuclear deterrence forces to train actions of officials on operating nuclear weapons with practical launches of ballistic and cruise missiles, via video link at the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia October 29, 2024. Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via REUTERS
MOSCOW (Reuters) -President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia would keep testing its new Oreshnik hypersonic missile in combat and had a stock ready for use, while Ukraine said it was already at work to develop air systems to counter the weapon.
Putin was speaking a day after Russia fired the new intermediate-range weapon into Ukraine for the first time, a step he said was prompted by Ukraine's use of U.S. ballistic missiles and British cruise missiles to hit Russia.