俄罗斯上星期四向乌克兰东部发射了一枚新型中程弹道导弹。这是一枚最新研制的高超音速导弹，代号“榛树”。

俄罗斯总统普京称，“榛树”能够以10马赫的速度打击目标，它虽然不是战略武器，但其效果和威力可以与战略武器相媲美。普京还表示，当今世界没有任何手段可以对抗这种导弹，也没有任何手段可以拦截它。

普京宣布，“榛树”导弹将在俄军战略导弹部队中投入使用。“榛树”导弹能在12分钟内飞到柏林，飞到罗马只需14分钟，大约17分钟就能到达布鲁塞尔、巴黎，甚至伦敦。

不久前，普京签署了一项法令，批准降低俄罗斯使用核武器的门槛。在这个关键时刻，他又测试新的高超音速中程导弹。普京究竟想要震慑谁？

这期的早报播客《东谈西论》，听主持人韩咏红与《联合早报》驻北京记者于泽远详细解析俄乌战争是否正在朝核武大战的方向进一步迈进？

延伸阅读：

• 沈泽玮：俄乌战千日，中欧持续震荡

• 俄首次在乌使用新型弹道导弹 乌克兰加紧分析残骸

Russia has tested a new intermediate-range ballistic missile in an assault on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. The hypersonic missile codenamed Oreshnik (meaning hazel tree in Russian), is reportedly capable of achieving speeds of Mach 10 (10 times the speed of sound), and reaching European capitals within minutes. Russian President Vladimir Putin asserts the missile's unrivaled speed and power, comparing it to strategic weapons despite its classification. Amid these developments, Putin has also lowered the threshold for Russia's use of nuclear weapons, raising global concerns about the potential escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict into a nuclear confrontation. 

Join host Han Yonghong and Lianhe Zaobao’s China News Copy Editor Yu Zeyuan in this episode of Global Heartbeat as they delve into the geopolitical ramifications of Russia's latest military maneuvers and the shifting dynamics of international security.

Hosted by Lianhe Zaobao’s Associate Editor, Han Yong Hong, Global Heartbeat is a Mandarin weekly news and current affairs podcast that is updated every Tuesday, 7.00 PM SGT. It is available on zaobao.sg, Apple Podcast, Spotify and other podcast platforms.

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