British intelligence analyzes russia's launch of Oreshnik over Dnipro

The launch by the aggressor state russia of the experimental Oreshnik missile over the city of Dnipro was intended to send a strategic message in response to Ukraine's use of missiles from Western partners on russian territory.

The British Ministry of Defence has stated this in its intelligence update.

"The use of this experimental system against Ukraine was almost certainly intended as strategic messaging following the use by Ukraine of Western missiles into Russia," the report said.

The intelligence recalled that in February 2019, russia announced its withdrawal from the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty, which banned the development and production of intermediate range ballistic missiles (IRBM).

"However, the development of Oreshnik almost certainly occured before this. The system is highly likely a variant of the Rubezh RS-26 ballistic missile, which was first tested in 2011," the British Ministry of Defence added.

It is indicated that russia most likely has only a few Oreshnik missiles that have not yet been put into mass production. This missile is likely much more expensive than other missiles that russia is currently using against Ukraine.

It is recalled that on November 21, russia struck a Ukrainian ammunition factory in Dnipro, using an intermediate range ballistic missile codenamed Oreshnik for the first time in history.

According to the classification, the maximum range of an intermediate range ballistic missile is from 3,000 to 5,500 km. In this case, the missile flew only a little over 800 km to its target.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, the Security Service of Ukraine previously showed journalists from the Associated Press the fragments of the Oreshnik missile that russia used to strike the city of Dnipro on November 21.

Reuters, citing two unnamed Ukrainian officials, reported that the ballistic missile that the aggressor country russia used to strike Dnipro on the morning of November 21 was equipped with warheads that did not have explosives inside. In fact, the missile dropped empty shells on the city.

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