Ukrainian security officials have revealed to the Associated Press the wreckage of a new experimental Russian ballistic missile that struck a factory in Dnipro last Thursday, marking the first discovery of such weaponry on Ukrainian territory.
The missile, named "Oreshnik" (meaning hazel tree in Russian), is reportedly derived from the RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile system and can carry both nuclear and conventional warheads. Security officials displayed the missile fragments at an undisclosed location before investigators collected them for analysis.
According to Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate, the missile was launched from Russia's Kapustin Yar test range in the Astrakhan region. It traveled for 15 minutes before hitting its target in Dnipro, reaching speeds of up to Mach 11. The weapon reportedly contained six warheads, each equipped with six submunitions.
"This is the first time that the remains of such a missile have been discovered on Ukrainian soil," said a security service expert who identified himself only as Oleh due to security protocols.
What remained of the sophisticated weapon was a charred mass of twisted metal and wires roughly the size of a large snow tire. The experimental launch appears to be Moscow's response to Ukraine's recent use of American and British long-range missiles.
The missile strike has raised concerns in Washington about potential escalation. The Biden administration recently authorized Ukraine to use U.S. ATACMS rockets for strikes into Russian territory, a decision influenced by Moscow's deployment of North Korean troops to the Ukrainian front lines.
The conflict continues to intensify, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reporting over 800 guided bombs and hundreds of drones used by Russia in the past week alone. Meanwhile, Russia claims to have intercepted 34 Ukrainian drones over its western regions.
The discovery of this advanced missile wreckage provides tangible evidence of Russia's ongoing weapons development program amid the nearly three-year-long conflict, which has strained both nations' military resources and led to increased recruitment efforts on the Russian side.