Vladimir Putin praises Donald Trump, steps up Kyiv missile threats

Vladimir Putin has praised Donald Trump as an ‘experienced and intelligent’ politician, while saying Russia’s new medium-range ballistic missile could target ‘decision-making centres’ in Kyiv.

Vladimir Putin delivers his speech in Astana, Kazakhstan on Thursday. Picture: AFP

Russia’s President has praised Donald Trump as an “experienced and intelligent” politician as he said Russia’s new medium-range ballistic missile could target “decision-making centres” in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.

Vladimir Putin is thought to hope that Mr Trump will attempt to broker a peace deal with Ukraine that cements Russian territorial gains when Mr Trump takes over the White House for a second time in January.

Putin made a point of suggesting that new missiles, fired for the first time this month, could be deployed against the Ukrainian capital.

“We do not rule out the use of Oreshnik against the military, military-industrial facilities or decision-making centres, including in Kyiv,” he said in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.

A hypersonic Oreshnik missile was fired in combat for the first time last week, striking the Ukrainian city of Dnipro in what Putin said was a response to the Biden administration and the British government giving Ukraine permission to target Russian territory with Western-made long-range missiles.

Speaking about Mr Trump, Putin was quoted as saying: “I was amazed that uncivilised methods of struggle were used on Trump, including an assassination attempt, and it happened more than once. In my opinion, he is not safe now, either … But I think he is an experienced man, I hope he will be careful.”

Putin has a history of making positive remarks about Mr Trump, and in 2022 the American described the Russian leader’s invasion of Ukraine as “genius” and “savvy”.

The Times