Revealed: Russia‘s "Ukraine“>Oreshnik" Missile Not New, But Old Tech in New Clothing
In a surprising turn of events, the ballistic missile Russia has been touting as a cutting-edge innovation, the "Oreshnik," is not a cutting-edge weapon at all. It appears that the name is new, but the weapon itself is an old acquaintance, according to a recent report.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been boasting about the "Oreshnik," claiming it’s a revolutionary new weapon used in recent strikes against Ukraine. However, the truth could not be further from this narrative. The missile, believed to be a variant of the RS-26 ‘Rubezh,’ has been in existence for at least six to seven years, according to an investigation by Defense Express.
The outlet obtained a photograph of a debris fragment from the missile, bearing the date ‘12.04.2017.’ Experts suggest that the specific missile used in the November strike on Dnipro could have been assembled as early as 2017 or 2018. This indicates that the technological base of the missile is much older than Russia has been leading people to believe.
Moreover, Defense Express points out that the year 2017 was also when Russia planned to begin mass production of the ‘Rubezh’ missile. Many experts posited that the "Oreshnik" could simply be a renamed ‘Rubezh.’ Therefore, the "Oreshnik" might be even older than initially thought, with the project dating back to the early 2010s or even earlier.
The revelation highlights Russia’s flagrant violation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with the United States. Experts argue that the existence of this missile in 2017 amounts to a breach in itself, predating Russia’s November 2019 announcement that it would suspend its obligations under the treaty.
What We Know About "Oreshnik"
As reported earlier, on November 21, Russia launched a ballistic missile of medium range against Ukraine for the first time. Following the attack, Putin claimed the missile was a new, domestically developed weapon—the "Oreshnik."
Two days later, Putin doubled down on his claims, insisting that "the Oreshnik is a completely new missile, not a modernization of something old." However, many experts have cast doubt on Russia’s narrative. They maintain that it is unlikely Russia could have secretly developed a completely new missile that nobody knew about until now.
Instead, many suspect that "Oreshnik" is merely a propaganda term for "Rubezh," an evolution of the Soviet-era "Topol" missile. By changing the name and making grandiose claims, Russia appears to be trying to make the West believe it has been caught off guard by a new, superlative weapon.
As further evidence, it’s worth noting that the "Rubezh," which shares a lineage with the "Topol," was indeed developed based on the RS-24 ‘Yars’ missile, a direct descendant of the "Topol." This familial connection further undermines Russia’s claim of the "Oreshnik" being an innovative, new weapon system.
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