"The picture went around the world": Chalyi explains what's behind Putin's threats to use Oreshnik again

The footage of Russia's Oreshnik ballistic missile strike on the Dnipro River has gone viral. After that, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin threatened new attacks with the use of this weapon, thus, for the first time, he personally participated in an information and psychological operation against Ukraine and its partners.

These intimidations by Russia are mostly aimed at Europe. This was stated by Valerii Chalyi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United States in 2015-2019, Chairman of the Board of the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center, in an exclusive interview with OBOZ.UA.

At the same time, the dictator tries not to touch the United States in his threats and demonstrations of strategic weapons, because he does not want Washington to perceive this as a real threat to itself and strike at Russia.

"And Europe is being intimidated. But what is the difference between an information and psychological operation and information attacks – lies and propaganda. We don't often distinguish between them. An information and psychological operation can include real actions that are supported by the appropriate entourage. That is where the real actions came from," Chalyi said, referring to the strike on the Dnipro.

According to the diplomat, the Russians were not sure that the Oreshnik would reach the city, but in the end, it did.

"But it flew in, and it turned out to be a beautiful picture...in the picture, six parts of the eye fall, it flies in quickly, it burns. Yes, it's impressive. And this picture went around the world," he said.

Possible scenarios for using Oreshnik and more

Chaly named possible scenarios for Russia's use of the Oreshnik: the enemy can launch this missile at a greater distance, i.e. closer to the border with Europe and NATO, and probably add an explosive part to it so that it is no longer a pacifier.

Also, according to the former ambassador, Putin is being asked to take the next step, i.e., to test tactical nuclear weapons. In theory, such a strike could be launched both on our territory and on the territory of Russia, in the latter case to accuse Ukraine of using a "dirty bomb." In addition, the occupied Ukrainian territories could become a testing ground for the Russians.

As OBOZ.UA previously reported, British intelligence concluded that the Russian Oreshnik strike on the Dnipro was a message from the aggressor country. Dictator Putin sought to leave a "strategic message" in response to Ukraine's use of Western missiles to strike Russian territory.

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