Fabian Hoffmann
On the night of November 20–21, Russia launched a missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, reportedly featuring a new medium- to intermediate-range ballistic missile called “Oreshnik.”
What we know
At this point, a lot of what can be reasonably known about the missile and the attack is likely understood. The Oreshnik is very likely derived from the Russian RS-26 Rubezh (NATO designation: SS-X-31), which itself traces its origins to the Soviet-designed and built RSD-10 Pioneer (SS-20 Saber).
Development of the RS-26 began in 2008 but was mothballed in 2018 before the missile achieved full operational capability. Like the RS-26, the Oreshnik features a MIRVed payload, meaning it can deliver several independently targetable warheads.
The missile likely shares a similar range with the RS-26. Although Putin described it as a “medium-range ballistic missile,” it is plausible that the Oreshnik falls into the intermediate-range category, with a range exceeding 3,000 kilometers.
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