KARELIA, August 1 — Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the Russian Armed Forces have received the first serially manufactured unit of the new medium-range missile system known as “Oreshnik.” The statement came during his meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
“The first serial missile has entered service. The production line is now operational,” Putin declared.
He further noted that Russian and Belarusian military specialists have selected sites in Belarus for the deployment of the new missile complex and are currently preparing the infrastructure. “Most likely, we’ll finalize this by the end of the year,” he added.
Oreshnik Used in Ukraine Strike, Claimed as Hypersonic and Unstoppable
The existence of the Oreshnik missile was first revealed in November 2024 when Russia claimed it had used the new system in a strike against a target in Dnipro (formerly Dnepropetrovsk), Ukraine. According to Putin, the missile carries a non-nuclear hypersonic payload and was used to hit the Yuzhmash plant — a key Ukrainian manufacturer of aerospace and drone technologies.
“This was a combat test of one of our newest medium-range missile systems,” said the Russian leader.
Putin Claims Oreshnik is Impossible to Intercept
In his remarks, Putin emphasized that no existing air defense systems — including NATO assets in Poland — are capable of intercepting the Oreshnik missile.
“Once the warheads begin separation just seconds after launch — that’s it, the train has left the station. There is no chance to shoot it down,” Putin claimed.
According to open-source military observers, the Oreshnik missile allegedly reaches speeds of up to Mach 11 and has a range of 5,500 kilometers. It is reportedly equipped with a multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) system, enhancing its ability to evade interception.
Western defense analysts have yet to independently verify these claims, and the development of the Oreshnik system raises fresh concerns about a renewed arms race and the erosion of existing missile control treaties.
