The Russian missile “Oreshnik“ is nothing more than an improved version of the older model of the medium-range ballistic missile RS-26 “Rubezh“. Ukrainian scientists from the Kiev Research Institute of Forensic Science came to this conclusion, UNIAN reported.
The conclusion was made after studying the charred debris of the missile left after the strike on the Dnipro on November 21, 2024, The Economist magazine writes.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called the “hypersonic“ “Oreshnik“ a new miracle of Russian technology, but the remains say otherwise. One part dates back to 2017. Another, in one of the missile's warheads, dates back to 2016.
Rather than posing a serious threat, “Oreshnik“ is a show of force intended for a Western audience and a reminder of Russia's nuclear potential, the article said.
During his annual press conference late last year, Putin said that Western technology “has no chance of intercepting“ the “Oreshnik“ missile. The Russian president has described the missile as a "modern weapon", but Kiev says evidence suggests it is in fact an old missile.
This missile is capable of carrying nuclear warheads and cannot be shot down, Russian President Putin claims. However, experts say the "Oreshnik" is neither new nor capable of drastically changing the course of war.
Fabian Hoffman, who studies missile technology at the University of Oslo, does not believe it is a completely new type of weapon. "I would be surprised if Russia could create (such a missile) without using at least 90% of existing developments and without cannibalizing parts of the RD-26," Hoffman said, quoted by DW. A US government official also said that Russia probably only has a few such missiles.