‘Oreshnik’ deployed to deter NATO aggression in Eastern Europe |
Back in April 2024, the Russian Strategic Missile Forces (RVSN) test-fired what was then described as a “mysterious ICBM” (intercontinental ballistic missile) from the Kapustin Yar range in the Astrakhan region (oblast) in Southern Russia. The missile hit the Sary Shagan testing ground in Kazakhstan, located approximately 1,600 km to the east. At the time, the RVSN didn’t reveal the exact type of missile it launched, while the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) only said that the launch was conducted to test a “prospective missile system”.
The launch left many observers puzzled, with some claiming that it was an existing system (specifically the RS-26 “Rubezh”). However, several analysts (myself included) argued that it may also be a new weapon designed to outmatch any contemporary (or even prospective) offensive missile system.
Today we know that was the first time Russia tested its latest strategic “toy” – the “Oreshnik. This truly groundbreaking weapon represents the very pinnacle of Russian engineering, as it can use a plethora of payloads, including MaRV (maneuverable reentry vehicle), MIRV (multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle), HGV (hypersonic glide vehicle), etc. In terms of the functioning of its warhead, the available footage shows that the “Oreshnik” can carry at least 36 smaller projectiles divided into six blocks (with six kinetic submunitions in each). During its first combat use in November 2024, the “Oreshnik” demonstrated why it has the reputation of being effectively invincible. Although the........