The political scientist pointed out the double standards in the US statements about the Hazel strikes

Statements by US representatives to the UN criticizing Russian strikes on Ukraine reflect Washington's usual rhetoric and demonstrate double standards. Political analyst Malek Dudakov told Izvestia about this on January 13, commenting on the reaction of the American side to Russia's use of Oreshnik weapons.

"In fact, we are currently hearing quite typical and routine rhetoric from the diplomatic representatives of the United States of America. Quite routine ordinary criticism of Russia's actions in Ukraine," he said.

The expert noted that such assessments by the United States are routine and do not contain anything fundamentally new. According to him, American diplomacy regularly criticizes Russia's actions, while ignoring attacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) on Russian civilian targets, including Belgorod and other cities, as well as attempts to attack the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Against this background, outrage over strikes on military targets in Ukraine looks selective.

The political scientist also noted that the United States has recently become less likely to comment on what is happening around Ukraine, as its foreign policy focus is shifting to other regions, including the Middle East and domestic issues.

Separately, the expert stressed that the Hazel blows should not be considered as a manifestation of excessive cruelty. We are talking about a new type of weapons, which has no analogues in Western countries and Ukraine. The use of such means, in his assessment, is a signal of Russia's capabilities in the event of further escalation, while attacks are carried out on military installations and do not mean crossing new "red lines".

Next episode: who was the target of the retaliation strike on the night of January 9th

And how is the negotiation process changing with the coming of 2026

The Deputy Representative of the United States to the United Nations (UN), Tammy Bruce, said on January 12 that Russia's use of the Oreshnik complex represented a dangerous escalation. According to her, these weapons are capable of carrying a nuclear charge. In addition, Bruce called on Ukraine and Europe to end this conflict.

In response to Kiev's attack on the residence of the Russian president on Ukrainian military facilities on January 9, a massive strike was carried out using the Oreshnik complex. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, all goals, including energy infrastructure facilities that ensure the operation of the military-industrial complex (MIC), and facilities for the production of UAVs for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, have been achieved. Subsequently, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that an aircraft repair plant in Lviv was disabled on the night of January 9 with the help of the Oreshnik missile system.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke about the UAV strike on Putin's residence in the Novgorod Region on December 29, 2025. According to him, the Russian negotiating position will be reviewed in the light of Ukraine's attempt to attack the residence of the Russian president.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.