The Oreshnik is an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) derived from the RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental system. Its most formidable feature is the Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) technology, which allows a single missile to release several warheads that can strike different targets simultaneously. During its 2024 debut, the weapon traveled from southern Russia to its target in approximately 15 minutes, reaching speeds of Mach 10 (roughly 13,000 kph). President Vladimir Putin has frequently touted the weapon as "impossible to intercept," claiming its kinetic energy alone can deliver destruction comparable to a nuclear strike, even when equipped with conventional explosives.
The Russian Ministry of Defense framed the strike as a retaliatory measure for an alleged Ukrainian drone attempt on President Putin’s residence in Novgorod late last year—a claim that both Kyiv and U.S. officials have dismissed as a fabricated pretext for escalation. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha characterized the deployment as a "global threat," noting that the proximity of the strike to the European Union and NATO borders serves as a direct provocation to the transatlantic community. This move follows the recent deployment of Oreshnik systems on combat duty in Belarus, further tightening the strategic pressure on Eastern Europe.
Despite the Kremlin's rhetoric, Western defense experts remain cautious, often describing the Oreshnik as an experimental "psychological weapon" rather than a decisive battlefield game-changer. U.S. officials have previously noted that Russia likely possesses only a handful of these units, though Moscow maintains that serial production is now underway. As President Donald Trump continues efforts to broker a peace deal between the warring nations, the introduction of such high-velocity, multi-warhead weaponry adds a volatile new dimension to the diplomatic landscape, signaling Russia's readiness to intensify the conflict to secure its objectives.
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