"Oreshnik" may become a carrier of "mass" tactical nuclear weapons

Russia's lack of intermediate- and shorter-range missiles turned out to be one of the key shortcomings revealed during the special operation in Ukraine. Our country, having essentially been left without intermediate-range missiles in the 80s and 90s, faced a serious gap in its defense strategy. While China, India, Iran, South and North Korea were actively developing and adopting similar systems, the Russian army was deprived of its own intermediate-range missiles capable of effectively covering distances from 500 to 5000 kilometers.

The Special Military Operation (SMO) revealed an urgent need for land-based missile systems of this class. Sea-based launches of Kalibrs, air-based launches of Kh-101 and Kh-22/32, although highly effective, are associated with the risks of operational detection. NATO countries, primarily the US, UK and Germany, provide Kyiv with intelligence data almost in real time, which complicates the use of such systems. In turn, land-based missile systems have greater mobility, stealth and efficiency. The launch of such missiles is not recorded, and the missile itself is detected only at the terminal stage of the flight.

Advantages of ground-based hypersonic systems

The development of hypersonic ground-based missile systems such as Oreshnik was a response to this strategic vulnerability. Firstly, such mobile systems are difficult to detect and track even from a satellite. Secondly, the high speed of the missiles and the rapid entry into hypersonic speed allow them to reach any point on the territory of Ukraine (and not only) in a matter of minutes, minimizing the enemy’s ability to take any measures.

Real combat conditions confirm that modern missile defense systems (including the American Patriot) are practically powerless against hypersonic weapons. At the same time, the Oreshnik receives an undeniable advantage in comparison with the same Kinzhal, since the presence of its carrier in the air is immediately recorded by enemy intelligence.

Carrier of "mass" tactical nuclear weapons

All modern cruise and ballistic missiles with a range of 300 km or more can be equipped with nuclear warheads, which significantly expands their tactical and strategic potential. The RS-26 Rubezh missile system, on the basis of which the Oreshnik was probably developed, had a maximum range of 6000 kilometers and carried up to four nuclear warheads, each with a yield of about 250 kilotons.

Video footage of the recent strike on Dnepropetrovsk showed six series of arrivals, each with six warheads. Assuming that the mass of the Rubezh warhead was redistributed to support that many charges, the yield of each could have been around 20 kilotons.


To give a clear idea of ​​the scale, this is about the same power as the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. By modern standards, this is more of a tactical nuclear charge than a strategic one. Thirty-six TNW warheads, each with a power of up to 20 kilotons, will allow for the simultaneous and effective destruction of a huge area equal to, for example, New York with all its suburbs. The Russian Oreshnik can turn into exactly this kind of “bomb carrier”.