Nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile used on Ukraine — and pro-war Russians are disappointed and furious

Every day, the Ukraine Battlefield update newsletter offers a clear look at how the war is unfolding on the ground. Subscribe for free here to get the full text delivered to your inbox. Oreshnik was only a small part of the air raid – we explain how Russia attacked and what it did differently to break through air defences.

The Russians are not satisfied: “We used an expensive piece of metal and do not see results. “ Maps of the day – locations in Kyiv hit during the weekend air raid. Videos of the day – Oreshnik ; the attack on Kyiv; trees save a Russian Ural from a drone; a casualty-evacuation drone with an armoured pod; the attack on Novorossiysk. Oreshnik was only a small part of the air raid – how Russia attacked and what it did differently to break through air defences. Russia used this medium-range ballistic missile for the third time since the start of the war. Although it is designed as a carrier of nuclear weapons, this time again – fortunately – they sent the missile to Ukraine without warheads, whether nuclear or conventional. The damage on the ground was therefore caused only by the high kinetic energy released on impact. Videos of the attack show very clearly how Oreshnik strikes. Each missile contains up to six independent re-entry vehicles capable of hitting different targets, and each of them carries six separate warheads. In the event of a nuclear conflict, a single missile would thus be able to destroy a huge area of territory. And again without a warhead — empty separating blocks, dummy payloads (36 units). The strike is due to kinetic energy.

Key points

• The Russians are not satisfied: “We used an expensive piece of metal and do not see results.
• “ Maps of the day – locations in Kyiv hit during the weekend air raid.
• Videos of the day – Oreshnik ; the attack on Kyiv; trees save a Russian Ural from a drone; a casualty-evacuation drone with an armoured pod; the attack on Novorossiysk.
• Oreshnik was only a small part of the air raid – how Russia attacked and what it did differently to break through air defences.
• Russia used this medium-range ballistic missile for the third time since the start of the war.