Headline: Exposed: Russia‘s ‘New’ Missile a Fraud, Says Defense Express
Subheadline: Analysis of debris from Russia’s ‘Orekh’ medium-range ballistic missile, launched into Ukraine, reveals it’s not a new weapon, as claimed by Vladimir Putin.
Article:
Russia’s claim that its ‘Orekh’ medium-range ballistic missile is a newly developed weapon has been debunked, according to a report by Defense Express. The missile, launched into Ukrainian territory on November 21, was found to be equipped with components dating back to 2017, suggesting it’s far from a new addition to Russia’s arsenal.
The Tell-Tale Part
One of the missile’s debris bore a serial number and a production date of April 12, 2017. The use of a seven-year-old component in the ‘Orekh’ indicates that the missile was assembled during 2017-2018 and had been stored in a warehouse since then. The image of the part was obtained from Defense Express’ own sources.
The Bigger Picture
The discovery is particularly significant given that 2017 was the year mass production of the ‘Rộbez’ missile system (the true name of ‘Orekh’) was scheduled to begin. However, Moscow shelved the project in March 2018, indicating that the development of ‘Orekh’ likely started much earlier, possibly in the early 2010s.
The Russian Connection
Further scrutiny revealed that the part’s identifier, ‘EFIT 302811.002,’ is linked to Russia’s Scientific-Production Center for Automatics and Instrumentation (NPK SPLA), a ‘Rоскосмос’ entity. The NPK SPLA has been involved in developing control systems for Russia’s ‘Zenit,’ ‘Proton-M,’ and ‘Fregat’ rockets, as well as the intercontinental ballistic missile ‘Topol-M.’
Additionally, the Ukrainian media found a record of a control system component, ‘EFIT.373868.064,’ in a Moscow arbitration court decision from 2023. This suggests that the NPK SPLA was likely responsible for delivering the guidance equipment for ‘Orekh.’
The Larger Implications
The revelation challenges Putin’s narrative about ‘Orekh’ and raises serious questions about Russia’s compliance with its obligations under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with the US. Moreover, it underscores Russia’s apparent willingness to flout the terms of the treaty not only with ‘Iskander’ missiles but also with ‘Orekh.’
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