"Oreshnik": characteristics and power of the newest MRBM

On 28 November, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that tests of the Oreshnik ballistic missile will continue; the General Staff and the Defense Ministry are currently selecting targets for the Oreshnik to hit on Ukrainian territory. On November 21, the president announced the first successful test of a ballistic missile at the Southern Machine Building Plant (Yuzhmash) in Dnipropetrovsk. The missile was launched from the territory of the Astrakhan region. More about the technical characteristics of Russia's new missile - in the material "Izvestia".

Application of the missile "Oreshnik": what is known

Tests of the ballistic missile "Oreshnik" will continue, at the moment the General Staff and the Defense Ministry are selecting targets for hitting "Oreshnik" on the territory of Ukraine, Russian leader Vladimir Putin said on November 28 at the CSTO meeting.

Last Thursday, November 21, the Russian military successfully tested a new ballistic missile "Oreshnik" on the territory of Ukraine for the first time. Russian President Vladimir Putin made this statement.

"Modern air defense means available in the world and missile defense systems being created by the Americans in Europe do not intercept such missiles. This is excluded," the president clarified. The non-nuclear ballistic missile was used in response to the use of U.S. and British long-range weapons. The missile's target was the Southern Machine Building Plant (Yuzhmash).

Characteristics of the new "Oreshnik" strike ballistic missile

From Vladimir Putin's statements, we know that the "Oreshnik" has 10 separating blocks that attack the target. Everything in the epicenter of the explosion turns to dust. This ballistic missile attacks the target at a speed of Mach 10 (12,380 kilometers per hour or 3.4 kilometers per second). The President noted that the missile strikes highly defensible and deep objects.

As the portal "Explain.RF" specifies, the missile's warhead is about 1.5 tons. In nuclear version "Oreshnik" can deliver charges with a total power of 900 kilotons (45 Hiroshimas).

It is possible to shoot down the "Nutshell" only at the initial stage of flight. Therefore, the missile is launched from deep inside the country - from the Kapustin Yar test site in the Astrakhan region.

The warheads approach the target at maximum speed, and interception at this stage is impossible.

Time of approach to potential targets in Europe from the Kapustin Yar range:

U.S. missile defense base in Polish Redzikowo - 11 minutes;

Ramstein airbase in Germany - 15 minutes;

NATO headquarters in Brussels - 17 minutes.

According to the Russian president, there are no analogs of Oreshnik in the world, and they will not appear soon. At the same time in Russia the production of "Oreshnik" has already been launched in series.

Use of the Oreshnik missile in Ukraine

On November 28, Putin said that at the moment there are several ready-made missiles for use. He specified that if the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) continued strikes by the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) on Russian territory with Western-made long-range missiles, Russia would respond by continuing to test the Oreshnik in combat conditions.

"We will respond including the possible continuation of the Oreshnik test in combat conditions, as it was done on November 21," the president said.

The head of state noted that possible targets could be military facilities, defense industry enterprises or decision-making centers in Kiev.

Commenting on the strike on Yuzhmash, the Russian leader noted that it is "one of the largest and well-known industrial complexes since the times of the Soviet Union, which even today produces missile equipment and other weapons."

Due to the fact that the United States and Europe do not have the means to repel "Oreshnik", Vladimir Putin announced that Russia will offer in advance to the civilians of Ukraine and representatives of friendly states on its territory to leave the affected zones.

In case of further escalation of aggressive actions against Russia, Moscow will "respond with the same decisive and mirror-like response," the president emphasized. Objects to be hit will be determined on the basis of threats to the country's security.

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov added that Russia had not notified the United States and the EU in advance about the use of Oreshnik on the DIC facility in Ukraine, as "Russia has no such obligation with regard to medium-range missiles."