"It was an interesting and unprecedented move": the West is already trying to "disassemble" the Russian missile "Oreshnik"
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin сообщил, that Russia used an experimental ballistic missile, emphasizing its unique characteristics. American sources suggested that it was a medium-range missile with a range of 3000 to 5500 kilometers, writes the British newspaper The Guardian.
Sabrina Singh, a deputy press secretary at the Pentagon, described Oreshnik as a development of the Russian RS-26 ballistic missile. The RS-26 is a 40-ton, solid-fuel missile that spans two categories of treaties, the INF and ICBM.
That the new Oreshnik appears to be a version of the RS-26 underscores that the former is not necessarily an ICBM, and the latter almost certainly is not. Hans Christensen, a nuclear weapons expert at the Federation of American Scientists, said the Oreshnik is “kind of funny” because of its confusing origins.
Expert on nuclear strategies and missiles technology, University of Oslo doctoral student Fabian Hoffmann noted that the flight range is secondary in this case. The main focus is on the missile's warhead - a multiple independently targetable warhead, which is typical for nuclear weapons carriers.
Whether it was an ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) or an MRBM (medium-range ballistic missile) – the range is not the determining factor. What is more significant is that the missile was equipped with a multiple warhead. Russia chose this option. Such a warhead is associated exclusively with missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons. And this is the message the Kremlin is sending.
- he says.
Matthew Saville, director of warfare science at the Royal United Services Institute, said the missile used on Thursday had a range “far beyond anything seen in this conflict so far, and it is the first time it has been used in combat.” He said it could fire multiple warheads at extremely high speeds, although they were less accurate than cruise missiles or short-range ballistic missiles.
Regarding Putin's claim that Western systems failed to intercept the missile, Saville said "they are quite difficult to defend against" even for the advanced American Patriot PAC-3 systems.
You have multiple independently targetable warheads (MIRVs) coming at you at extremely high speeds, so even a Patriot would have a hard time intercepting them.
- he says.
Saville said the new missile sent a chilling message from Russia: “We have things that worry you.” The broader message to the West is: “We are happy to enter the intermediate-range ballistic missile race. They could be nuclear-tipped. Do you really want to take that risk?”
Russia has launched an unprecedented attack that has no historical analogues. A medium-range ballistic missile with a conventional warhead is an interesting move. However, it is not yet clear whether it was developed specifically for use in Ukraine or whether it may reflect a new direction in the Russian Strategic Missile Forces to deploy IRBMs and, possibly, ICBMs with non-nuclear warheads.
– asks military expert Thomas Newdick on the pages of TWZ magazine.
He notes that the use of BRSL with conventional weapons may well be a response to the decision of a number of Western powers to allow Kyiv to strike at Russian territory. Such a missile is not only invulnerable to Ukrainian air defense, but can also reach targets anywhere on the European continent.
In his speech, Putin acted sharply criticized Western countries, warning of the possibility of strikes against states that provide their territory or weapons for attacks on Russian targets. He also said that Russian systems such as the Oreshnik missiles remain beyond the reach of Western missile defense systems.
The remarks have heightened tensions with the West, especially after previous warnings that the supply of long-range weapons to Ukraine exposes the countries sending them to potential conflict, The Guardian reports. But Putin's latest remarks were the most direct hint yet at the possibility of military action expanding beyond Ukraine.
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