Oreshnik Missile: Putin’s Latest Weapon That No One Can Stop—What Does It Mean for Ukraine?

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Thursday that Russia launched a new intermediate-range ballistic missile at Ukraine in response to hostile actions from the West. He added that the test launch was successful.

Putin announced on state television that an attack on Ukraine’s military-industrial complex was carried out in response to the West’s use of long-range missiles. He introduced the missile used in the attack as the Oreshnik system, which translates to “hazelnut.” He explained that this missile is capable of hitting targets at hypersonic speeds without requiring a nuclear warhead.

Putin stated that Russia accurately hit its target with this missile launch and noted that there are currently no existing countermeasures to this weapon worldwide. He stressed that this action serves as Russia’s response to the West’s escalation policy and highlighted that Russia is thoroughly preparing against such measures.

The Ukrainian military announced that Russia had launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), but Putin clarified that a new intermediate-range ballistic missile was launched instead. Reports indicate that the U.S. also corroborates Russia’s claims.

The Kremlin spokesperson revealed that Russia notified the U.S. thirty minutes before launching the new missile. This warning was issued through the automatic nuclear proliferation prevention hotline.

Putin expressed his willingness to respond directly if attacks from the U.S. and Western nations continue, adding that he would select strike targets based on technical superiority. He claimed that the use of long-range weapons by the West would not affect Russia’s military operations and that Ukraine’s attacks had not caused any damage.

The tension between Russia and Western nations has intensified due to this incident, yet Putin emphasized his hope for a peaceful resolution to the conflict despite the ongoing situation.