**Russian General Talks to US Counterpart After Ukraine Strike**
On November 27, a rare phone call was held between Russian General Valery Gerasimov and US General Charles Q. Brown Jr. This conversation took place just six days after Russia launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile at Dnipro in Ukraine.
According to The New York Times, during the call, Gerasimov told Brown that the missile launch had been planned before the US authorized Ukraine to use American and British weapons for deeper strikes into Russian territory. A spokesperson for Brown confirmed the call, saying it was requested by Gerasimov and that Brown agreed not to announce it proactively.
**Russia’s True Intentions**
The Oreshnik missile strike on Dnipro prompted a media blitz in Russia. The Moscow Times described it as a carefully staged effort to intimidate Western allies. Russian officials reportedly said the strike was meant to show strength rather than escalate tensions.
President Vladimir Putin had earlier threatened to use the Oreshnik missile to target “decision-making centers” in Kyiv. However, this now appears to be an attempt to sow fear rather than signal imminent action.
**Other News**
Romania has declassified evidence of a social media campaign backed by a state actor to boost a pro-Russian presidential candidate.
Hungary has asked the US for a sanctions waiver to continue payments for Russian natural gas imports.
Georgian police have detained the leader of an opposition party amid government crackdowns on pro-EU protests.
The UK’s National Crime Agency has dismantled a multibillion-dollar money laundering scheme that allowed Russian spies and oligarchs to evade sanctions using cryptocurrency.