Putin advances missile arsenal with new Oreshnik tests

Vladimir Putin met on Friday with leaders of the Russian defence ministry and the so-called military-industrial complex. During the meeting, they discussed the effects of the recent use of the Oreshnik missile by Russia, which struck the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. The Kremlin leader supported the proposal to integrate Oreshnik into the Russian intermediate-range missile system, as well as increasing the missile's destructive power.

Sergey Karakaev, head of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces Command, quoted by the TASS agency, said that considering the positive result of the missile's test use, it is seen as sensible to continue its further use while increasing its parameters and improving personnel skills in its operation - We will do this - replied Putin succinctly.

Putin emphasised, as in his recent address, that no one in the world currently has systems capable of intercepting Oreshnik missiles. He noted that these are high-precision attack weapons, not weapons of mass destruction. - All the more so as we have a stockpile of such products, a reserve of such systems ready for use - said Putin. Oreshnik missiles reach speeds of 10 Mach, which is about 2,000-3,000 metres per second.

The president also stated that the missile system was based on Russia's latest achievements and is not a modernisation of old Soviet systems. Putin declared that the results achieved and the speed of development of the new system aroused pride and admiration. He stated that they demonstrated the immense potential of the national school of rocket science and its capability to solve the most complex problems to ensure Russia's security and sovereignty.

Putin stated in his Thursday address that Russia used the Oreshnik missiles in response to American and British missile attacks on Russian military targets in the Kursk and Bryansk regions. He warned that Oreshnik could also carry a nuclear payload.

- The Russians today launched a new kind of missile at Ukraine, what the Defense Department is calling an "intermediate-range ballistic missile," or IRBM - Pentagon deputy spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said on Thursday. She also emphasised that the Americans immediately informed Ukraine about the intention of such an attack by the Russians. She assured that Putin's threats against the USA and other countries would not deter America from assisting Kyiv.

- I can confirm that Russia did launch an experimental intermediate range ballistic missile. This IRBM was based on Russia's RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile model - Singh stated during a press briefing.