Explainer| Decoding Russia’s Oreshnik – “the world’s fastest missile”

Putin’s Russia possesses a considerable number of nuclear weapons and other sophisticated armaments in its arsenals. The introduction of Oreshnik, an Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile or IRBM for short, in its war with Ukraine underscores Russia’s efforts to bolster its offence and defence capabilities.

This lethal weapon and its combat readiness raise alarms in the West and could shape future peace talks or escalate the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv. For now, there is limited information about the missile, touted as the world’s fastest, but few aspects are quite clear. Let’s decode.

Launch

The Oreshnik is a formidable weapon in Russia’s arsenal. President Putin announced its development following its combat use in Ukraine on November 21, which he described as a direct response to Kyiv’s strikes inside Russia using US-made and British-built missiles. Putin November 28 threatened additional missile strikes on critical Ukrainian infra-assets and this, he dared, will factor the utilisation of Russia’s “unbeatable” and brand-new ballistic missile.

Specifics

One of the most impressive features of the Oreshnik translated “hazelnut tree” in Russian, is its unprecedented speed and precision. Classified as an IRBM, Putin’s Oreshnik can travel 3 kilometres per seconds. Reports indicate it operates at Mach 10 (approximately 12,300 km/h) and is believed to have an operational range of approximately 5,500 km. With its hypersonic speed, the Oreshnik can deliver precise strikes on multiple targets thousands of kilometres away in less than half an hour.

This ballistic missile, as speculated, can reach European capitals within minutes. Reports indicate that it can hit the UK in 19 minutes, Belgium in 14, Germany in 11, and Poland in just 480 seconds (8 minutes), underscoring its operational potential to strike deep inside Europe and even reach the western coast of the United States.

Rooted in the RS-26 Rubezh, the Oreshnik also possesses the capability of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads, adding to its versatility on the battlefield. The RS-26 Rubezh, preceding the Oreshnik is a solid-fuel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) developed in the 2000s for high mobility and global reach. The Oreshnik, however, is a modified version of RS-26 built to be hypersonic with much faster speed and maneuvering abilities.

Hypersonic missiles are known for their exceptional speed, Oreshnik is no exception and offers much more. It is equipped with Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) that enables it to strike multiple targets all at once. In its war effort, Ukraine’s Patriot missile has recorded successes. However, experts debate whether the US-supplied surface-to-air missile (SAM) can intercept the Oreshnik.

In a summit of former Soviet nations held November 28 in Astana, Putin re-emphasised the Oreshnik’s capabilities and called it “unstoppable”. Despite its advanced features, US officials have noted that the Oreshnik remains at an experimental level. Russia reportedly has limited numbers of the missile, which could constrain operations, but the Kremlin prior to US assessment, is scaling up production.

Deciders

President Putin prides the potential of the Oreshnik and with the changing dynamics of geopolitics, its operational execution exemplifies how modern warfare is evolving, where speed, range, and technological advancement are a deciding factor.