Russia fires Oresnik hypersonic ballistic missile at Dnipro river Photo: AFP
Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to actively promote the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, which was launched over the city of Dnipro on 21 November. In his speeches, he has called it a “modern weapon with no analogues” capable of providing a significant advantage on the battlefield. However, military experts and international analysts consider these statements to be an exaggeration.
Putin: “There are no means of interception”
The Russian leader stressed that the Oreshnik missile has a power comparable to strategic nuclear weapons and is capable of hitting targets with high accuracy. “Today, there are no defence systems in the world capable of intercepting this missile,” he said, adding that Russia plans to mass-produce it.
Colonel-General Sergei Karakayev, Commander of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces, claims that the Oreshnik can hit targets across Europe and stressed that there are no analogues of such weapons in the world.
ISW: Russia artificially overstates its capabilities
Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) note that the Oreshnyk hype campaign is part of Russia’s strategy to create exaggerated expectations about its capabilities. According to the ISW, the goal of this information campaign is to put pressure on the West and encourage it to reduce its support for Ukraine.
US officials confirmed the launch of the missile, but indicated that its characteristics could be based on previous models, including the RS-26 Rubizhne. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said that Ukraine had already faced more powerful Russian warheads.
Ukrainian intelligence: it is not “Oreshnyk”, but “Kedr”
The Ukrainian Intelligence Service (GUR) believes that the missile launched on 21 November is an upgraded version of the Kedr missile, which has been under development since 2018-2019. The head of the GUR, Kyrylo Budanov, suggested that Oreshnyk is just a codename for the Kedr research project.
New opportunities or myth?
Experts note that the Oreshnik is equipped with six warheads, each capable of carrying six submunitions. According to the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, the missile reaches speeds of up to 13,000 km/h and can hit targets within 15 minutes of launch.
However, analysts emphasise that such technologies, although innovative, do not represent a fundamentally new potential for Russia. According to the ISW, Russia hopes to increase concerns among Western countries, but this “noise” is mainly an element of psychological pressure.
Conclusion.
Despite Moscow’s loud statements, international experts are sceptical about the Oreshnik, considering it more an element of information warfare than a real breakthrough in missile technology. While Russia is trying to demonstrate strength, Ukraine and its allies remain cautious about succumbing to the Kremlin’s information pressure.
