Vladimir Putin orders new “tests” and mass production of new Orechnik missile

On Thursday, Russia said it had struck the city of Dnipro, Ukraine, with this new intermediate-range missile (up to 5,500 km), which did not carry a nuclear charge.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Friday, November 22, to mass produce and continue combat testing the new Orechnik hypersonic ballistic missile, used the day before to strike Ukraine.

“We will continue these tests, including in combat situations, depending on the situation and the nature of the threats to Russia's security” he said during a meeting with military officials broadcast on television.“It is necessary to start mass production,” he added, praising “the power” of this weapon. He assured that Russia had a “reserve” of these missiles “ready to use” and asserted that “no one else in the world” did not currently have this type of weaponry. According to him, the development of this type of missile is of “importance vitale” for Moscow face “to new and growing threats”.

On Thursday, Russia said it had struck the town of Dnipro, Ukraine, with this new intermediate-range Orechnik missile (up to 5,500 km), which did not carry a nuclear charge. In an address to the Nation on Thursday evening, Vladimir Putin affirmed that this was a response to two Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory using Western missiles, and threatened to strike countries supplying weapons to kyiv.