A Russian Oreshnik missile launched at Ukraine in January 2026 was manufactured about nine years ago and contains only Russian and Belarusian components, according to analysis [1]. The Oreshnik is a nuclear-capable missile with a range exceeding 5,000 kilometers [1]. Russian President Vladimir Putin claims the missile is impossible to intercept [1, 2].
The missile has been used multiple times against Ukraine. On May 24, 2026, Oreshnik missiles were fired near Kyiv during a large barrage of 90 missiles and hundreds of drones. The strike caused limited physical damage, with the missiles reportedly clustered in six groups and likely armed with inert warheads, indicated by a lack of explosive flashes in the night attack [2]. Pavel Podvig, senior researcher at the UN Institute for Disarmament Research, said, "It appears that none of those projectiles have any explosive in them. All the attacks happened at night. Even a relatively small explosive charge would produce visible flashes" [2].
All three Oreshnik missiles that have struck Ukraine were launched from Kapustin Yar, a closed missile test range near Znamensk in southeastern Russia. Kapustin Yar is a restricted area housing approximately 30,000 people, with strict access controls to protect Russian military secrets [2].
The Oreshnik missile is estimated to cost around $40 million apiece. Oleg Saakyan, a political scientist, said Russia used weapons worth roughly $1 billion during the May 24 attack that included Oreshnik missiles [2].
The next anticipated use of Oreshnik missiles or further updates on damage assessments have not been reported as of today.
