Russia could fire an Oreshnik missile again in the coming days because of the attack it accuses Ukraine of.
Moscow accused Ukraine of having targeted a military airfield in Taganrog, in the south of Russia, this Wednesday, December 11 morning, using six American ATACMS missiles, and promised to take retaliation.
A US official said Russia could launch another Orechnik hypersonic missile. The Russian Defense Ministry said two ATACMS missiles were shot down by the Pantsir air defense system and the rest were destroyed using electronic jamming tools, adding, however, that debris from the projectiles caused several injured among base personnel.
“There is no damage. Two buildings located within the airfield, as well as three military vehicles and civilian cars parked in the parking lot adjacent to the airfield were slightly damaged (by debris)” , indicated the ministry. “This attack using Western long-range missiles will not go unanswered,” he warned.
“We will continue these tests”
Russia fired a new intermediate-range hypersonic missile called “Orechnik” in Ukraine on November 21, a launch presented by the Russian president as a direct response to strikes carried out by Ukrainian forces in Russia using ATACMS missiles on November 19, then British Storm Shadow and American HIMARS missiles on the 21st.
On November 22, Vladimir Putin ordered the mass production and continued combat testing of this new ballistic missile. “We will continue these tests, particularly in combat situations, depending on the situation and the nature of the threats to Russia’s security,” he said at a meeting with military officials.
Moscow could therefore fire an Orechnik missile again in the coming days but Washington does not consider that this weapon is likely to change the situation on the ground, said an official from Joe Biden's administration.
