Rocket Oreshnik: Why the Threat from Russia Turned Out to Be a Tactical Defeat.

According to ТСН: Russia is using the "Oreshnik" missile to create psychological pressure and demonstrate a threat, but from a military-tactical point of view, this turns out to be an ineffective move.

Psychological Pressure vs. Tactical Effectiveness

Air Force Officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in reserve Anatoly Khrapchinsky noted that from a psychological perspective the missile might have some effect, but tactically it has serious disadvantages.

"Regarding the achievement of power in terms of psychological pressure, yes, it can achieve its power if we are talking about 'Oreshnik'. If we are talking from the perspective of tactical military interest, then it was actually a serious slap in the face to the engineers who created this missile. Because let's remember the approach of combat elements in Dnipro and the approach in Lviv, which shows a deterioration in the capabilities regarding the accuracy of this missile," Khrapchinsky noted.

Modernization of Old Systems

The expert emphasized that it is more likely not about a new technology, but about modernized Soviet missiles.

"Let’s understand that this is a missile that was actually assembled from old Soviet missiles, or more precisely, possibly some types of intercontinental ballistic missiles were modernized," he explained.

Warnings from the USA and International Reaction

Khrapchinsky also noted that Russia notified the USA in advance about the launch, which is atypical for conventional ballistic missiles.

"If Russia were to use a conventional ballistic missile, even of medium range, it would not notify the United States of its intentions. The day before, it notified the USA, and they, in turn, warned their citizens on their website and on the embassy’s website in Ukraine about possible threats to residents of Ukraine," he noted.

According to him, such an approach could be perceived by other countries as a global threat.

"This indicates that the manner of launching and subsequent actions were similar to conventional intercontinental ballistic missiles, which could be interpreted by the intelligence of countries as a strike, for example, against Europe or the United States," Khrapchinsky emphasized.

The Purpose and Limitations of the Missile

The expert emphasized that the real purpose of such a launch is to intimidate the international community.

"Here I would say that the attempt to scare the world was to demonstrate that it could launch such a missile and subsequently equip it with a nuclear warhead," Khrapchinsky said.

He also noted that without nuclear capability, the capabilities of the "Oreshnik" are very limited.

"Because this missile, apart from a nuclear warhead, can only carry a concrete block, like what we saw in Lviv or Dnipro," he added.

Speed and Hypersonic Characteristics

The expert also commented on claims about the missile's speed of 13,000 kilometers per hour.

"This is the speed of a missile moving along a ballistic trajectory. That is, it is not about a direct path from point A to point B, but about a ballistic trajectory," Khrapchinsky explained.

Lastly, he refuted claims about the hypersonic nature of the missile.

"For some reason, some have begun to call it hypersonic, although in reality, it is just that due to the flight trajectory, it was approaching with launch speed at the final stage," summed up the Air Force officer in reserve.

Thus, Russia's new missile developments raise many questions regarding their effectiveness and reliability. Alongside this, the international community's reaction to such actions by the Kremlin is becoming increasingly attentive. Observers point to risks that may arise from such launches, which could destabilize the situation not only in Ukraine but also beyond its borders.