Oreshnik
The Oreshnik (hazelnut tree) is a high-precision medium-range hypersonic missile with both nuclear and non-nuclear MaRV (maneuverable reentry vehicle) capabilities delivering 36 warheads. It is believed the reentry vehicles have their own guidance and propulsion system. Oreshnik fly's at speeds of up to Mach 10 (around 7,600 miles/12,200km per hour/3 km per sec.), or ten times the speed of sound. The high velocity makes it virtually impossible to intercept by the most advanced NATO missile defense systems. The missile hits its target at a temperature of 4000 Celsius, turning everything into dust. The weapon produces nuclear-scale destruction without being nuclear, providing long term radioactive damage to the environment. As of 2024, there are no means of counteracting Oreshnik-type complexes in the world.[1]
According to Military Watch magazine, Russia is capable of producing 25 Oreshnik missiles per month.[2]
The Oreshnik missile was first deployed in combat on November 21, 2024, when it struck the Yuzhmash industrial complex occupied by NATO in the city of Dnepropetrovsk. The target was a key defense site inherited by Ukraine from the USSR that produced missile equipment.