UKRANIAN President Volodymyr Zelensky responded sharply to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s provocative comments during his annual year-end press conference, taking to social media to label the Kremlin leader with a blunt insult.
Putin, during the marathon press event, boasted about the capabilities of Russia’s Oreshnik, a new nuclear-capable ballistic missile recently launched at Dnipro, and suggested using it for a “high-tech duel” against Ukraine’s Western-supplied air defenses.
“Let them propose … some kind of technological experiment – a kind of high-tech duel of the 21st century,” Putin said, suggesting Kyiv as a target. “We will strike there with the Oreshnik. And we’ll see what happens… It’s interesting.”
Zelensky posted an excerpt of Putin’s remarks on X (formerly Twitter), writing in English: “People are dying, and he thinks it’s ‘interesting’… Dumbass.” A similar comment was also shared in Ukrainian.
Earlier in the conference, Putin made flippant remarks about the war, describing it as a break from monotony.
“You know, when everything is calm, measured, stable, you get bored… As soon as the action starts, everything whizzes past your head: seconds, bullets. Unfortunately, bullets are whistling now.”
The press conference, a combination of public Q&A and phone-in, is a yearly showcase of Putin’s control over Russia.
This year, the war in Ukraine dominated discussions, with Putin emphasizing Russia’s perceived gains in the ongoing conflict.
When asked about potential talks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, Putin expressed readiness for dialogue but noted that no communication had occurred in over four years.
He dismissed suggestions that Russia might be in a weaker negotiating position due to setbacks in Ukraine and Syria, accusing Western journalists of wishful thinking.
“You said that this conversation will take place in a situation when I am in some weakened state… And you, and those people who pay your salaries in the US, would very much like Russia to be in a weakened position,” Putin retorted.