Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a clear message to the West following the successful Oreshnik missile launch, Pedro Guanaes Netto, French politician and the host of Fréquence Populaire Média, told Sputnik Africa.
"It's a clear message: 'We have the capacity to hit you, if we want this'," the expert said. "Don't mess with us, because we can strike back."
He analyzed that the Oreshnik ballistic missile launch demonstrates Russia's capacity for innovation and missile production, even during wartime. This contrasts with Ukraine's reliance on dwindling stocks of external military supplies, the politician stressed.
By authorizing the use of ATACMS and Storm Shadow to strike Russia, the West "gave Putin carte blanche to be able to revise his doctrine since it becomes a response to a fact and no longer a unilateral action by Russia," Netto noted.
He also highlighted the increasing difficulty Western elites face in maintaining their narrative of a weakened Russia destined to lose the conflict. He cited recent polls indicating growing war-weariness among Ukrainians, a shift from earlier unwavering resolve.