What do we know about Russia’s new ballistic missile, Oreshnik?

President Vladimir Putin has confirmed that Russia tested a hypersonic intermediate-range missile successful an battle connected nan Ukrainian metropolis of Dnipro, Ukraine.

The Kremlin said nan onslaught was successful consequence to Ukraine’s caller usage of US- and UK-supplied missiles to target Russian territory.

Joe Biden, nan outgoing US president, and his management only precocious gave nan greenish ray for Ukraine to motorboat long-range strikes into Russia, a move which has escalated tensions.

The Pentagon said nan US had been notified of nan motorboat done atomic consequence simplification channels.

Here is what you request to know:

What is nan Oreshnik, Russia’s caller ballistic missile?

The caller intermediate-range ballistic missile, Oreshnik, which intends hazel character successful Russian, is simply a nuclear-capable limb that has not been antecedently mentioned publicly.

The Pentagon said it is based connected nan “RS-26 Rubezh” intercontinental ballistic rocket (ICBM).

Hypersonic missiles recreation astatine speeds of astatine slightest Mach 5 – 5 times nan velocity of sound – and tin manoeuvre mid-flight, making them harder to way and intercept.

The rocket tin person 3 to six warheads, subject master Viktor Baranets wrote successful nan Komsomolskaya Pravda tabloid.

Igor Korotchenko, editor of nan Moscow-based National Defence journal, told nan TASS authorities news agency that based connected video footage of nan strike, Oreshnik has aggregate independently guided warheads.

Why has Russia utilized this rocket now?

Russia is successful retaliation mode.

The motorboat came aft Ukraine fired US- and UK-supplied missiles connected Russian territory for nan first time, escalating tensions successful nan astir three-year-long conflict.

This followed nan reversal of a ban connected Kyiv, which had been placed by Washington, connected utilizing high-precision Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to onslaught targets successful Russia.

Moscow says six US-made ATACMS missiles were launched astatine Russia connected Tuesday, while British Storm Shadow cruise missiles and US-made HIMARS were fired astatine nan state connected Thursday.

Moscow says this makes Western countries that authorise Ukraine to usage their missiles to deed Russia nonstop participants successful nan conflict.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said connected Friday that Moscow was successful “no doubt” that Washington had understood that nan onslaught connected Dnipro was a warning.

“The main connection is that nan reckless decisions and actions of Western countries, which nutrient missiles, proviso them to Ukraine, and subsequently return portion successful carrying retired strikes connected Russian territory, cannot stay without a guidance from nan Russian side,” Peskov said.

What has Putin said astir nan attacks?

In an unscheduled tv quality connected Thursday, Putin said nan onslaught connected nan metropolis of Dnipro had tested successful combat conditions “one of nan newest Russian mid-range rocket systems”.

Putin said it had been deployed “in a non-nuclear hypersonic configuration” and said nan “test” had been successful and had deed its target.

Putin said aerial defences cannot intercept nan Oreshnik.

“Modern aerial defence systems… cannot intercept specified missiles. That’s impossible,” Putin said.

“As of today, location are nary intends of counteracting specified a weapon,” nan president boasted.

Putin besides stated that Russia will “address nan mobility of further deployment of intermediate and shorter-range missiles based connected nan actions of nan United States and its satellites”.

What has Ukraine said astir nan strike?

Kyiv claimed that Russia had utilized an intercontinental ballistic rocket (ICBM) on pinch a barrage of different missiles astatine Dnipro.

Local authorities said nan onslaught deed an infrastructure installation and injured 2 civilians.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned of a “clear escalation”.

An intercontinental ballistic rocket (ICBM) has a scope of 1,000-5,500km (621 to 3,418 miles), a level beneath that of an intermediate-range ballistic missile.

Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate said it was fired from nan 4th Missile Test Range, Kapustin Yar, successful Russia’s Astrakhan region and flew 15 minutes earlier striking Dnipro.

The rocket had six warheads, each carrying six submunitions. The highest velocity nan rocket reached was 11 Mach.

What happens next?

NATO will clasp an emergency gathering pinch Ukraine astatine nan confederation office successful Brussels connected Tuesday to talk Moscow’s usage of nan missile, a NATO root said connected Friday.

The Western subject confederation confirmed that nan NATO Ukraine Council, grouping allies’ NATO ambassadors and their Ukrainian counterparts, will convene astatine Kyiv’s request, but did not springiness immoderate item connected nan taxable of discussions.

Source

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Al Jazeera and news agencies