Russia expands its arsenal from Hypersonic missiles with a new addition that has begun its mass production. The Russian president Vladimir Putin announced Monday The beginning of the series manufacture of the intermediate -range ballistic missile (IRBM) Orshnik During a speech aimed at graduates of military academies that was televised and of which various media have echoed. This is Putin’s first mention to this weapon since last February, when he highlighted his thermal resistance in the Future Technologies Forumfew after he was tested in combat in Ukraine.
The first operational use of the missile took place on November 21, 2024. That day, the Russian army launched it in non -nuclear configuration against the industrial defense plant Yuzhmashin Dnipró. Moscow then said that the attack was a response to the use by Ukraine Western long -range armament such as missiles Atacms and Storm Shadow. Kremlin spokesman, Dmitri Peskovdeclared that the launch was a demonstration of capabilities, a warning and that it had been notified to the US. UU. 30 minutes in advance, although there was no formal obligation to do so.
‘The development of Orshnik and other advanced systems are Key to preserve strategic balance and ensure an independent national course, ‘Putin said this week by announcing the production of IRBM.
This is the nuclear hypersonic missile Orshnik
The Oshnik missile is considered derived from the RS-26 Rubezha solid fuel missile that can be launched from land mobile platforms and that was excluded from the state weapons program at the time For budgetary reasonsin favor of platforms such as Advancegard.
According to intelligence from open sources and military analysts, Orshnik is hypersonic (With speed higher than Mach 5), also of solid fuel and capable of reaching speeds superior to Mach 10 (12,250 km/h) In its flight terminal phase. Its scope is up to 5,500 kmwhich places it on the threshold of an intercontinental ballistic missile, has the capacity to carry so much Conventional Ojivas as Nuclear And it is launched from high mobility vehicles with multiple axes such as the truck MZKT-79291.
Each orthnik, which means ‘hazel’ In Russian, it has an estimated length of between 15 and 18.5 metersa diameter of 1.86 meters, weighs 30 tons and has been developed by the Muscovite Institute of Thermal Technology (MITT).
The missile uses inertial and satellite guidance systems and has A probable circular error precision (CEP) between 10 and 20 meterswhich allows you to accurately achieve strategic objectives of high value.
Can be equipped with a payload up to 1,000 kilogramsincluding 6 multiple reentry vehicles (MRV)equipped with submunitions, or A single maneuverable reentry vehicle (MARV)improving its penetration capacity against antimile defense systems.
Russian and Western analysts highlight their operational flexibility thanks to their mobility and Brief phase of active flight, which reduces its exposure to antimile interception. These characteristics allow to display the Orshnik in varied locations minimizing its detection by satellites or technical means. Moscow has directly described it as ‘undetectable’ and has plans to position it in Belarus.
How long would Orshnik take to reach the main European capitals
When the attack against DNIPRÓ last November, the Russian media boasted from Orshnik and The rapid one that any European capital could reach. Daily Mail echoed this information and published a graph with the following flight times, if the oreshnik were released from the Russian polygon of Kapustin Yarin astracán’s brain to the south of Russia:
- Berlin: 11–12 minutes.
- Rome: 13–14 minutes.
- Brussels: 14–15 minutes.
- Paris: 15–16 minutes.
- London: 16–17 minutes.
It was not expressly mentioned Madrid or another Spanish city, but any city in Europe could reach ‘In less than 20 minutes’hence Spain would be within that range. However, if the missile was released from Belarusthe distance to travel and the time spent would be notably shortened.