BEIJING, November 22. /TASS/. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has called on the parties to the Ukraine conflict to exercise restraint following the exchange of missile strikes between Ukraine and Russia, as well as Russian President Vladimir Putin's address to the nation, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lin Jian said at a briefing.
"Under the current circumstances, all sides should remain calm and show restraint, make efforts to de-escalate the situation through dialogue and consultations, and create conditions for a political settlement to achieve a ceasefire as soon as possible," he said.
The Chinese spokesman also reaffirmed Beijing's position on the Ukrainian issue. China "supports resolving the crisis through political means and preventing further escalation," he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address to the nation on November 21 that the United States and its NATO allies had authorized the use of long-range missile strikes, and soon after, military sites in Russia’s bordering Kursk and Bryansk Regions were attacked by US- and UK-made missiles. Russia responded to those attacks by using its new intermediate-range ballistic missile called the Oreshnik. Russia struck Yuzhmash, a Ukrainian defense enterprise located in the city of Dnepr (formerly Dnepropetrovsk). The Russian leader emphasized that the provocative actions of Western countries could have dire consequences in the event of further escalation of the conflict.