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Russia has plenty of Oreshniks – Putin Russia has a stockpile of ‘Oreshniks’ – Putin
(31 minutes later)
The new missile’s demonstration was a success, the Russian president has said The new missile’s demonstration was a success, the Russian president has told a Kremlin meeting
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated the Defense Ministry and the military industry on developing and deploying the new Oreshnik mid-range missile. Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed that Russia has a stockpuile of the new Oreshnik medium-range missiles, following its successful combat test on Thusday.
“The Oreshnik test was a success, I congratulate you,” the president said on Friday, at a meeting with Defense Ministry officials and military industry leaders. Speaking at a meeting on Friday with the leadership of the Ministry of Defense and defense industry representatives at the Kremlin, Putin congratulated the military for the successful first use of the Oreshnik (Hazel, in English) missile, calling it a significant achievement. “The Oreshnik test was a success, I congratulate you,” he stated.
“The tests will continue, including in combat conditions, depending on the type of threats to our security,” Putin added. “Especially since we have enough of these weapons.” Putin explained that the missile system will continue to undergo testing, including in combat conditions, based on security needs.
Putin revealed the existence of the hypersonic medium-range ballistic system on Thursday, following a strike on a Ukrainian military-industrial complex in Dnepropetrovsk. He explained that this was Moscow’s response to Kiev’s use of US and UK missiles against Russia’s Bryansk and Kursk Regions, which have turned the Russia-Ukraine confrontation global. ”The tests will continue, especially since we have enough of these weapons for the duration of this phase,”  he added, confirming that the Oreshnik is set to enter serial production.
According to Putin, the Oreshnik is a not a modernization of a Soviet design but an entirely new system, built in post-USSR Russia.  The president emphasized that the Oreshnik is not a modernization of Soviet-era weapons, but a new development created in post-Soviet Russia.
“As you know, no one in the world has such a weapon yet,” Putin said during the meeting at the Kremlin. “Yes, sooner or later it will appear in other leading countries, we know what developments are being carried out there. But this will be tomorrow, or in a year or two. And we have this system today. This is important.” “As you know, no one in the world has such a weapon yet,” Putin said. “Other countries are working on similar developments, but they will not have this system for at least another year or two. And we already have it today. This is an important advantage.”
Russia will continue to refine and develop the Oreshnik, Putin said, noting that “there are no means of counteracting, intercepting such a missile, in the world today. They do not exist.” Putin also highlighted the missile’s advanced capabilities, claiming that it currently has no counterparts in terms of countermeasures or interception. “There are no means to counteract or intercept such a missile in the world today,” he stated.
While the new missile is not strictly speaking a “strategic” weapon or a means of mass destruction, its precision and striking power is “comparable in power and effect,” so it will enter service in the Strategic Missile Forces, Putin revealed. While the Oreshnik missile is not classified as a “strategic” weapon or a means of mass destruction, Putin acknowledged that its precision and destructive power make it a valuable asset. As such, the missile will be included in Russia's Strategic Missile Forces.
The first combat use was when it struck Ukrainian defense facility in Dnepropetrovsk, on Thursday. The strike was part of Russia's response to Ukraine’s use of long-range Western missiles against Russian regions, inside the pre-2014 borders.
Putin concluded that Russia will continue to refine and develop the missile system, as it plays a key role in Russia’s defense strategy. “The Oreshnik is a unique weapon, and we will continue to test and deploy it as needed to secure our country,” he said.