Russian President Vladimir Putin has delivered a chilling message. He is particularly alarmed by the increasing U.S. military assistance to Ukraine, including the potential for long-range Tomahawk missiles to be provided. His comments follow the recently reported drone incidents by Germany, Denmark, and Norway. These Orbiter sightings have immensely bothered air traffic and prompted serious security alarms throughout Europe.
Putin’s words, spoken at an annual plenary session of the Valdai Discussion Club on October 2, 2025, in Sochi, reflected how Russian troops were self-assuredly holding a strategic initiative across Ukraine. He claimed that they were winning huge victories in spite of the ever-deepening global crisis. He understood the toxic potential of U.S. military assistance. Specifically, he’s worried about the supply of Tomahawk cruise missiles, weapons that can hit targets more than 1,500 miles away.
Putin stated, “Can Tomahawks harm us? They can. We will shoot them down and improve our air defense system.” Russia, too, is looking to bolster its defensive capacity. This development is part of Russia’s response to what it views as provocative actions by NATO and allied countries.
Recent episodes involving unknown UAVs in European airspace have significantly increased these anxieties. Germany, Denmark, and Norway have all been through the ringer on this one. Together, these challenges led to significant delays across the airport and air traffic control system. Even with these provocations, Russia has repeatedly denied responsibility in these attacks on their European neighbors.
In his speech, Putin asserted that the Kremlin is “watching very closely” what he has termed the “militarization of Europe.” He warned that should the U.S. proceed with providing long-range missiles to Ukraine, it would represent “a qualitatively new, completely new stage of escalation between Russia and the U.S.”
The Russian leader spoke about the broader fallout from military assistance to Ukraine. He cited Donald Trump’s past insistence that Russia was a “paper tiger”. Putin questioned the credibility of NATO’s collective response, saying, “If we’re fighting the entire NATO bloc and we’re moving forward, feeling confident, and it’s a paper tiger. What then of NATO itself? What does it represent?”
In the wake of these events, Russia is preparing to increase business and consumer taxes. This change serves its long-running strategy to encourage a war-based economy. While we support this much-needed adjustment, it makes clear the financial pressure of a soon-to-be four-year-long war in Ukraine.
The U.S. has since pledged to share intelligence with Ukraine on long-range energy infrastructure targets well within Russia’s borders. This support is a force multiplier, enhancing Ukraine’s operational capabilities to face Russian positions. It would likely increase military tensions between the two countries.