“Putin’s Stern and Serious.” Fact-Checking Alleged Merkel’s Assessment of the Russian President’s Address

Russia fired its new medium-range ballistic missile “Oreshnik” at Ukraine, as Vladimir Putin announced in a special address to the nation on November 21, 2024. This action followed the authorization to strike targets in Russia using long-range Storm Shadow missiles supplied to Kyiv by the U.S., France, and the U.K.

Following the speech, Russian pro-government media reported that the “Oreshnik” was able to hit targets at a distance of approximately 1,000 to 5,000 kilometers, meaning it could reach any point in Europe.

Discussing Putin’s statement with Deputy Sergey Dik that day, “Radio Minsk” host Vadim Yelfimov said on the air that right now “the conversation with the Americans has become serious.” He added that this seriousness in the Russian president’s speech struck former Chancellor Angela Merkel:

“Well, I read Merkel’s interview, and she said that she was struck by the seriousness and severity of President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin in this brief speech, where he reported the use and successful testing of the “Oreshnik” missile. Well, Mrs. Merkel probably knows Vladimir Vladimirovich quite well.”

On the day of the mentioned broadcast, November 22, Der Spiegel indeed published a lengthy interview with Angela Merkel. The interview focused on the release of her memoirs, in which the former chancellor shared her views on Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, shaped by her years of working with both politicians. In her memoirs, Merkel describes Putin as someone who was always on high alert and constantly feared being treated poorly.

In the Der Spiegel interview, a journalist also asked Merkel about Putin. She characterized him with the following words: “I never had any illusions about him. He always had dictatorial tendencies, and his arrogance often upset me.”

Putin's speech regarding the launch of the “Oreshnik” rocket was not addressed at all. The conversation only briefly touched on the war between Russia and Ukraine, as well as Germany's policy toward Russia during Merkel's tenure.

There were no further interviews with the former chancellor following Putin's speech.