President Putin said that no air defense system could stop the missile at this time.
New Delhi: After World War II, the world was divided into two large blocs led by the United States and the former Soviet Union, which was now reduced to Russia after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. These two blocks have always tried to gain the upper hand. Compete against each other in the fields of science, technology and military superiority. It can also be argued that Russia, the former Soviet Union, has always had the advantage and had the upper hand.
One of the most notable examples is Russia’s attack on Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine, on November 21, 2024. At this time, the communist state launched an advanced precision-guided weapon capable of delivering precise destructive force. The impact destroyed large areas of the Oreshnik system. Experts said the attack was unusual and the explosion lasted several hours.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is currently touting the Oleshnik hypersonic missile as a breakthrough tool that could tilt the balance of power (in Russia’s favor) and significantly change global military strategy and operations. are.
“What we need now is not an improvement in nuclear doctrine, but an oleshnik, because thanks to enough of these modern weapons systems, we are on the brink of virtually eliminating the need to use nuclear weapons. ,” Putin said in a transcript released by the Kremlin.
The Oreshnik is said to be capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads. According to the Ukrainian military, Oleshnik’s speed was reported to be Mach 11, or 13,582.8 km/h. The missile’s multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) configuration allows it to carry six warheads, each releasing six submunitions. This setup gives you the ability to target multiple sites simultaneously with devastating accuracy.
Its speed makes it extremely difficult to detect by existing air and missile defense systems, including those of NATO allies in Europe.
President Putin said that no air defense system could stop the missile at this time.
If used in a large-scale attack, Oreshnik could cause massive destruction, much like a nuclear weapon. The missile’s warhead can reach temperatures as high as 4,000 degrees Celsius, reducing everything within its blast radius to ashes.
This suggests that conventional missiles like Oreshnik could have just as much impact as nuclear attacks.
According to General Sergei Karakayev, commander of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, the deadly missile can hit targets across Europe.
In addition to the explosive payload’s dangerously high destructive power, what makes it even more awe-inspiring is its kinetic energy. Video footage of the Dnipro attack showed the warhead’s violent descent, causing a significant shock wave, despite reports that the warhead was not loaded with explosives.
The Kremlin has described the Nov. 21 attack in Dnipro as a “warning” to the West after the United States and Britain authorized Ukraine to launch missiles into Russian territory. The missile struck a defense factory in Dnipropetrovsk, but Ukrainian authorities said damage and casualties were limited. Ukrainian Defense Ministry officials said the missile’s submunitions appeared to be unarmed and were likely intended as a show of force.
Putin told a news conference that he often links such attacks to broader geopolitical conflicts, saying: “We are acting very carefully in all directions. You could even say that we are restrained.” .
“If NATO ballistic missiles fly from Ukraine to Russia, Ukraine will be destroyed first,” warned Russian state-run journalist Marina Akhmedova.
During the war against Ukraine, Russia deployed several subsonic cruise missiles, but none had Oleshnik’s range, speed, or payload.
President Vladimir Putin signed updated nuclear principles in November, lowering the level of nuclear retaliation and authorizing a nuclear response to significant conventional attacks against Russia or its allies.
“This will ensure that potential adversaries understand the necessity of retaliation in the event of aggression against the Russian Federation and its allies,” the doctrine states.
