Russia launched a new missile targeting the Ukrainian city of Dnipro early Thursday, causing significant damage to buildings and injuring civilians. The missile, which was initially thought to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), has now been confirmed as an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) named "Oreshnik," or "hazelnut tree" in Russian.
This attack comes just one day after Ukraine struck Russia with American-made ATACMS missiles. U.S. officials confirmed that the missile used in the Dnipro attack was part of Russia's experimental IRBM program. It is based on the RS-26 Rubezh ICBM, a longer-range missile, and is believed to be in limited supply.
At first, Ukraine’s air force identified the missile as an ICBM, raising concerns of a major escalation in the conflict. However, while an IRBM typically poses a smaller threat compared to an ICBM, the launch still triggered alarms in Washington.
The Pentagon confirmed that Russia briefly notified the U.S. about the missile launch before it occurred, and it was fired with a conventional warhead. Sabrina Singh, a Pentagon spokesperson, mentioned that the missile could potentially be reconfigured to carry nuclear warheads.
Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the missile launch in a televised address, confirming that the "Oreshnik" was used to target a Ukrainian military facility. Experts suggest this missile is part of Russia’s broader effort to advance its IRBM capabilities. Jeffrey Lewis, an expert at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, noted that the RS-26 could easily be converted into an IRBM.
The missile’s combat debut has raised concerns within NATO. Researchers suggest that Russia's new missile technology may influence NATO members' decisions regarding air defense strategies. Timothy Wright of the International Institute for Strategic Studies warned that Russia's missile developments could prompt NATO to rethink its missile defense systems and offensive capabilities.
This missile launch also comes at a time of heightened tensions surrounding a new U.S. missile defense base in northern Poland, a key part of NATO's missile defense shield. While Moscow has strongly opposed the base, Putin insisted that the missile strike was not a response to the U.S. base but rather a retaliation for Ukraine’s recent attacks inside Russian territory.
In recent days, Ukrainian forces, supported by the U.S., launched several attacks inside Russia using ATACMS, British Storm Shadow missiles, and HIMARS systems. Putin criticized the U.S. for withdrawing from the 2019 treaty that aimed to eliminate intermediate and shorter-range missiles, accusing Washington of making a strategic mistake.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the missile strike, calling it a “severe escalation” of the war. The European Union also expressed concern, accusing Russia of further escalating the conflict with its missile attack on Ukraine.
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