Russian social media is buzzing with speculation about the features of the new Oreshnik missile system, reportedly tested in combat as a response to NATO's actions and the use of Western weapons against Russia.
Unofficial reports suggest that the Oreshnik medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile might be the modern replacement for the Soviet-era Pioneer (RSD-10) missile system. The Pioneer was scrapped as part of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, signed in 1987 between the United States and the Soviet Union. This treaty required the destruction of all ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers. By 1991, around 2,692 missiles, including the Pioneer, had been dismantled.
In 2019, the United States, under then-president Donald Trump, withdrew from the INF Treaty, raising concerns about global and regional security. In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that if the US deployed intermediate-range missiles in Europe, Russia would respond with similar measures. He stated, “If such systems are deployed in Europe, we will naturally have to respond in kind.”
Presumed characteristics of the Oreshnik (based on Pioneer specifications) as per Sputnik :
Type: Medium-range ballistic missile system with non-nuclear hypersonic capabilities
Missile speed: Up to 12,250 km/h (Mach 10, or 2.5–3 kilometers per second)
Launch range: Up to 5,000 kilometers
Warhead power: 150 kt, with three to six warheads per missile
Estimated flight times:
(GB) To the UK: 19 minutes
(BE) To Belgium: 14 minutes
(DE) To Germany: 11 minutes
(PL) To Poland: 8 minutes
On Thursday, 21st November Putin emphasized that the US made a mistake by unilaterally withdrawing from the INF Treaty in 2019 under far-fetched pretexts
