Putin questions US defense against hyper-sonic missiles

 The Federalist Wire:

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Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a bold challenge to the United States on Thursday, proposing a direct “duel” between the Kremlin’s new hypersonic ballistic missile and America’s defense systems.

Speaking at his annual end-of-year press conference, Putin ridiculed Western skepticism over the capabilities of the Oreshnik missile.

The weapon, which Russia claims can carry nuclear payloads, had faced doubts about its lethality following limited deployment in Ukraine.

Putin suggested the United States choose a target to defend and test whether its military technology could stop the Oreshnik in action.

“We’re ready for such an experiment,” he declared, asserting that Western defense systems “stand no chance.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed alarm over Putin’s challenge, calling it reckless.

“Do you think he is a sane person?” Zelensky asked reporters during a news conference later that day. He described the idea of two superpowers engaging in such a test as dangerously irrational.
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Such a test would not help either side.  The side that loses the test might decide to literally go nuclear.  The Oreshnik might evade some missile defense but the launching of it would also trigger an attack on Russia whose missile defense would also be challenged.  I tend to agree with Zelensky that the challenge is reckless.