Ukrainian intelligence says Russia's Oreshnik missile flies more than 13,000km/h

The Russia-Ukraine war saw Russia test and deploy a new medium-range ballistic missile called the "Oreshnik" capable of flying more than 13,000km per hour.

On November 22, Headtopics cited a source from the Ukrainian General Intelligence Directorate, stating that the parameters of the Oreshnik missile are believed to be capable of attacking targets in the UK within 20 minutes.

The Russian hypersonic missile launched on Thursday reached its target in Dnipro in just 15 minutes, Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate said. - Photo source: Russian Defense Ministry

According to Ukrainian experts, the "Oreshnik" is believed to be an upgraded version of the Cold War-era RS-26 Rubezh, with a range of 5,000 to 6,000 km and the ability to carry nuclear warheads.

The Russian hypersonic missile launched on Thursday reached its target in Dnipro in just 15 minutes, Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate said. The missile traveled at 11 times the speed of sound - more than 13,000km per hour - before hitting targets in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.

According to Ukrainian experts, at this speed, if launched from Russian territory, this missile could reach Poland in 12 minutes, Germany in 15 minutes and the UK in 20 minutes. However, NATO has downplayed the strategic significance of this weapon, emphasizing that the bloc's commitment to support Ukraine remains unchanged.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticized the international community's response, saying Russia's actions should be countered with stronger measures.

However, many analysts believe that Russia's display of the "Oreshnik" may be a psychological tactic. Some military experts believe that the name was given by the Kremlin to amplify its capabilities and create psychological pressure on Western countries. Roman Svitan, a retired Ukrainian colonel, said that there is currently no publicly available information about this type of missile.

According to Colonel Roman Svitan, if the published parameters are correct, "Oreshnik" can reach a speed of Mach 10, equivalent to 2-3 kilometers per second, making it difficult to stop by modern defense systems. With a design capable of carrying multiple independent warheads (MIRV), this missile can attack multiple targets at the same time, increasing its destructive power.

Russia's development of the Oreshnik is said to have increased after the US withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. Some observers believe that this move is part of a strategy to modernize its missile forces and maintain a balance of power with NATO. Analysts such as Alexander Butirin also believe that the design of the Oreshnik is highly flexible, as it can use both conventional and nuclear warheads.

Meanwhile, on the Ukrainian battlefield, the conflict continues to escalate. After using long-range weapons such as ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles supplied by the US and UK to attack Russian military facilities, Ukraine has faced strong retaliatory attacks. Recently, an attack on Dnipro was said to be the first time Russia deployed the "Oreshnik". Civilian areas such as Sumy have also been subjected to heavy shelling with dangerous shrapnel.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/tinh-bao-ukraine-noi-ten-lua-oreshnik-cua-nga-bay-hon-13000kmgio-360461.html