Oreshnik (missile)

Oreshnik (Russian: Орешник, lit. 'Hazel shrub'), is a Russian intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) characterized by its reported speed exceeding Mach 10 (12,300 km/h; 7,610 mph; 3.40 km/s), according to the Ukrainian military. Oreshnik saw its first combat use on 21 November 2024, striking the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. The missile carries multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles, previously exclusively used by nuclear weapons, equipped with six warheads, each reportedly containing submunitions. These have been described as highly difficult to intercept, though modern ballistic missile interceptors are designed to counter this type of system. Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh has identified the Oreshnik as a variant of the RS-26 Rubezh IRBM.