Ukraine says it presents fragments of new Russian missile after strike on Dnipro

The secret services have not formally confirmed that it was indeed the “Orechnik” projectile mentioned by Vladimir Putin. But they mentioned the unprecedented nature of the debris presented.

More or less large metal debris, lined up on fake grass. The Ukrainian secret services showed a small group of journalists, including AFP, the fragments of a new Russian ballistic missile on Sunday November 24. This presentation was organized three days after Moscow claimed responsibility for a strike in Dnipro, on the factory of the Ukrainian group PivdenMach which notably produces components for missiles.

A few hours after this shot presented by the Kremlin as a “signal” to the West and to kyiv, Vladimir Putin boasted of the success of the Russian strike with this hypersonic projectile, called “Orechnik”. According to the Kremlin resident, the Russian army had fired this experimental missile in “answer” to the recent Ukrainian attacks carried out against Russia with American and British missiles.

The meeting with the SBU took place in a secret location for security reasons. The Ukrainian secret services did not wish to confirm publicly that it was debris from “Orechnik”. However, “this is the first time that debris from such a missile has been found on Ukrainian territory”said an investigator named Oleg. “This object has never been documented by security investigators before”he again affirmed, explaining that it was “of a ballistic missile”which corresponds to “Orechnik”. The investigator assured that kyiv would give “answers” subsequent information on the precise characteristics of the missile presented.

According to Vladimir Putin, who outlined some characteristics of “Orechnik” on Thursday evening, this “intermediate range” hypersonic missile can reach speeds of Mach 10, “i.e. 2.5 to 3 kilometers per second”. Friday, during a televised meeting with military officials, the Kremlin master assured that Moscow had a reserve of these missiles “ready to use”. He also ordered its mass production and subsequent use in trials, including “in combat situation”after announcing on Thursday that Russia was “ready” has “all” the scenarios in its conflict against Ukraine and the West.