Putin has gained another tool for terror, according to Roman Shraik.

Let me share some thoughts on Cedar/Hazelnut.

When it was initially reported that Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile over the Dnieper, it seemed logical to assume it was a one-time media stunt, showcasing a "response" accompanied by the sound of a shoe banging on the podium. However, it is now known that there is a whole project called "Hazelnut" aimed at creating a medium-range ballistic missile named "Cedar." This changes things somewhat.

Of course, the essence is not in the name or classification. Whether it’s "intercontinental" or "medium-range" doesn’t matter to us.

✔️ The key point is that a non-nuclear scare tactic has been created for Putin, which is significant since the nuclear threat is not very effective.

Putin and his associates have cried "wolves! wolves!" too often, and while the specter of a Third World War sends American conspiracy theorists into a frenzy, in general, the mention of nuclear weapons has little actual impact.

In such circumstances, it seems like a clever move to threaten with something new. It allows for non-nuclear ultimatums, failure of which won’t be as painful. After all, if you set a nuclear ultimatum and it leads nowhere, no one will take you seriously anymore.

However, it remains completely unclear how much we should fear "Hazelnut." The strike on the Dnieper produced several impressive videos, but its unknown consequences did not terrify anyone. Even the z-writers, who initially boasted that "Yuzhmash" was obliterated, later lost their enthusiasm.

Of course, next time it could be different (or it might not be). Therefore, the frightening power of "Hazelnut" remains an uncertain quantity.

✔️ Judging by the statements of Budanov and his Western colleagues, Cedar/Hazelnut exists only in a few experimental samples.

This means we can expect its next application in the near future, as there is a prototype available, and in the long run, if they establish mass production, it will be used as often as they can manufacture it. For instance, maybe once a month (I just pulled that out of thin air; they don’t really know yet).

In summary, at this point, Putin has gained yet another weapon for terror. It won’t affect the battlefield, and for now, we can assume it will have a similar effect to a mass strike with more conventional ballistic missiles.