Russia Announces Launch of Oreshnik Missile System

Russia has claimed that the first serialized Oreshnik missile system was allegedly already in service.

This was announced by Vladimir Putin during a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Karelia.

The Russian dictator added that Russian and Belarusian experts had already chosen a location for the future deployment of the complex in Belarus. Currently, they are preparing sites to receive Oreshnik.

“So, most likely, we will close this issue by the end of the year,” Putin said.

Russia used the Oreshnik missile for the first time on November 21, 2024, during a strike on Dnipro.

After the attack, the Kremlin leader actually confirmed the combat test of a new type of weapon.

Since then, Russian politicians and propaganda media have systematically used the topic of this missile as a tool of intimidation, threatening to use it again.

Oreshnik is a medium-range, surface-to-surface ballistic missile that is likely an upgraded version of the RS-26 Rubezh missile.

It is assumed to be capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional warheads.

Little is known about the technical characteristics of the system.

According to the Russian authorities, the missile is allegedly capable of hitting targets at speeds of up to 10 knots, and its maximum range can reach 5,500 kilometers.

As a reminder, in May, the President of Ukraine instructed the provision of separate funding for Ukraine’s ballistic missile program.