Putin Sends Jets With Hypersonic Missiles to Patrol Black Sea

Facts

• On Wednesday, Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin announced that fighter jets armed with nuclear-capable hypersonic missiles would conduct round-the-clock patrolling over the Black Sea.¹
• At a media briefing in Beijing, Putin said he'd ordered MiG-31 aircraft armed with Kinzhal missiles, which 'have a range of over 1,000 km and a Mach-9 speed,' to conduct permanent missions over neutral waters in the Black Sea.²
• Though he reiterated that 'this is not a threat,' Putin added Russia will 'exercise visual control, control with weapons of what is going on in the Mediterranean Sea.'³
• Putin claims his decision comes against the US deployment of two aircraft carrier groups to the Mediterranean in response to the Israel-Hamas conflict, as well as the decision to provide Kyiv with the Army Tactical Missile System.⁴
• Calling it the latest piece of scaremongering by Putin, Yurii Ihnat, spokesperson for Ukraine's Air Force, said the Russian president's announcement could increase tension but doesn't change anything for Ukraine since 'Russia already threatens our country with various weapons on a daily basis.'⁵
• Earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal, citing British intelligence officials and satellite imagery, reported that Russia had withdrawn the majority of its Black Sea Fleet from Crimea and that 'fleet activities are likely relocating to Novorossiysk in the face of threats to Sevastopol.'⁶

Sources: ¹Express, ²Bloomberg, ³The Guardian, ⁴Reuters, ⁵Ukrainska Pravda and ⁶Verity.

Narratives

• Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by TASS. Russia is likely trying to ramp up security in the region after it has become obvious that the US is attempting to wade deeper into the Ukraine conflict by providing Kyiv with long-range ATACMS missiles. Putin is merely defending the country and protecting its residents.
• Anti-Russia narrative, as provided by RBC. Putin's announcement is a knee-jerk reaction to successful strikes by the Ukrainian Armed Forces against Russian facilities in Crimea. This is another one of Putin's empty intimidation tactics, as Russia's Black Sea Fleet is rendered ineffective in enforcing a naval blockade of Ukraine.

Predictions