Russia used Oreshnik medium-range missile to attack Ukraine, Putin says

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has stated that the Russians used an Oreshnik medium-range missile during the morning attack on Dnipro on 21 November.

Source: an address by Putin on 21 November; Meduza, a Latvia-based Russian media outlet

Details: He said that this was a test launch of the "state-of-the-art missile".

Putin claims that Russia used a non-nuclear hypersonic ballistic missile to strike the defence industry facility in Dnipro.

He asserted that there are currently no means to counter Oreshnik missiles. 

Quote: "These missiles attack the target at Mach 10, which is 2.5 to 3 km per second. The modern air defence systems available globally, and the missile defence systems being developed by the Americans in Europe, cannot intercept such missiles. This is impossible." 

Putin said Russia had conducted the test in response to the Ukrainian Armed Forces' attacks on targets in Bryansk and Kursk oblasts on 19 and 21 November using American ATACMS and Franco-British Storm Shadow (SCALP) missiles. According to Putin, the Ukrainian attack on a command post in Kursk Oblast resulted in deaths and casualties, but no one was injured in the attack in Bryansk Oblast.

Putin said the deployment of the Oreshnik missile was a response to US plans to produce and deploy intermediate- and short-range missiles.

Background: Earlier, the Ukrainian Air Force reported that during the morning attack on Dnipro on 21 November, the Russians used an intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time. It was noted that this may have been a Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile – a potential carrier of nuclear warheads.

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