Putin said Russia's rule is to always respond with a mirror image to strikes on its territory

Russia always responds in a mirror-like manner to strikes on its territory, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday, December 26.

As the Russian leader added, the Russian Federation can use the "Oreshnik" system again if necessary, but it is not in a hurry to take such actions, as this weapon is very powerful.

"We, on the other hand, always respond in a mirror way. They use certain weapons against us - we use the same. Here they(Ukraine. - Ed.) used five to seven ATASMS systems. The Russian army responded with a comprehensive strike - 221 strikes with long-range precision weapons. <...> We are acting systematically," Putin said at a briefing after a meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

The president added that in case the use of more powerful medium-range weapons is required, Russia will use them.

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Earlier, on November 27, Russia's First Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyansky said at the Security Council (SC) meeting on Ukraine that the Russian Federation would definitely give the most decisive and mirror response to each of the escalation rounds that could follow from unfriendly Western states.

Prior to that, on Nov. 21, Putin reported that Ukraine had used Western long-range weapons against Russia, causing the regional conflict to acquire elements of a global conflict. He also said that one of Russia's newest medium-range missile systems, the Oreshnik ballistic missile, had been tested under combat conditions. Then he added that there are no means of countering Russian Oreshnik missiles now.

Western countries have stepped up military and financial support for Ukraine amid Russia's special operation to defend Donbass, which began on February 24, 2022. The decision to conduct it was taken by Russia because of the aggravation of the situation in the region due to the increased shelling by Ukrainian troops.