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Russian Missile Older Than Claimed
30 May
Summary
- Russian Oreshnik missile assembled in 2017 from older parts.
- Missile components exclusively sourced from Russia and Belarus.
- Ukraine questions hype around Russia's nuclear-capable Oreshnik.
A Russian Oreshnik missile, deployed in Ukraine in January, was reportedly assembled in 2017 using components from 2016 or earlier, according to Ukrainian experts. These components were exclusively manufactured in Russia and its ally, Belarus. This discovery challenges assertions that the Oreshnik is a newly developed, advanced weapon.
Ukrainian authorities suggest the Oreshnik is a modernized variant of the older RS-26 Rubezh missile. Debris analysis is providing insights into the weapon's composition and capabilities, prompting skepticism about Russian claims of its intercept-proof nature.
Russia has utilized the Oreshnik missile, a nuclear-capable weapon with a range exceeding 5,000 km, in at least three strikes on Ukrainian territory. Investigations into missile fragments, including those from a recent strike in May, are ongoing, with a focus on component substitution and supply chain origins.
