The Russian military said on Friday that it had launched its hypersonic Oreshnik missile at a target in Ukraine as part of a large overnight strike on energy facilities and drone manufacturing sites.

Ukraine’s intelligence agencies have claimed the destruction of a launch system for three Oreshnik ballistic missiles at Russia’s Kapustin Yar testing range in the Astrakhan region.

Editor's note: Russian military-political analyst, expert in the field of strategic security, specialist in the Middle East and Africa Vladimir Bekish. The article expresses the personal opinion of the author and may not coincide with the view of News.Az.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the serial production of the Oreshnik intermediate-range missile will begin soon.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Thursday that decision-making centers in Kyiv could become targets for Russia’s newest hypersonic missile system, the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that strikes on Russian territory, including those involving Western weapons, would not go unanswered.

By Asim Mustafayev

On November 21, Russia launched another strike on Ukraine, drawing significant attention both domestically and internationally. This time, the Russian military claimed to have used its latest development—a medium-range ballistic missile called “Oreshnik.” This strike became a pivotal event, not only in the context of the ongoing conflict but also in the broader geopolitical landscape. However, the question arises: what prompted Russia to take such a drastic step?