from CorrectAlias@piefed.blahaj.zone to world@lemmy.world on 24 May 08:32
https://piefed.blahaj.zone/c/world/p/779794/russia-uses-hypersonic-oreshnik-missile-in-mass-attack-on-kyiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday Russia used the powerful hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile during a mass drone and missile attack on Kyiv on Sunday which killed at least two people, marking the third time the weapon has been used in the four-year war.
The intense aerial assault damaged buildings across the Ukrainian capital, including near government offices, residential buildings and schools.
The Oreshnik, which is capable of carrying nuclear or conventional warheads, struck the city of Bila Tserkva in the Kyiv region, Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram. The target was not immediately clear.
Russia first used the multiple-warhead Oreshnik on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro in November 2024. It was used a second time in January in the western Lviv region.
The combined attack included 600 strike drones and 90 air, sea and ground-launched missiles, according to Ukraine’s Air Force. Ukrainian air defenses destroyed and jammed 549 drones and 55 missiles. Around 19 missiles failed to reach targets, the Air Force said.
Earlier, Zelenskyy warned that Russia was planning to use the Oreshnik, citing intelligence from the U.S. and Western partners.
President Vladimir Putin said the Oreshnik, which means “hazelnut tree” in Russian, streaks at 10 times the speed of sound, or Mach 10, and is capable of destroying underground bunkers “three, four or more floors down.”
#world
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It’s 2026 and we’re still falling for the propaganda move of calling ballistic missiles ‘hypersonic’, huh?
I mean, don’t get me wrong, they are flying at hypersoniic speed, but that is nothing special. The dangerous things are maneuverable (i.e. non-ballistic) hypersonic missiles. They are extremely hard to intercept, but also to make. Hence the propaganda, the Russians want to sound threatening, even though the rockets are not special at all.
Yep, that term threw me. Sounds vaguely hi-tech threatening.
You’re right that hypersonic cruise missiles are probably a greater threat and maybe there is a propaganda side to this, but the Oreshnik is no slouch and not particularly easy to intercept. Yes it is ballistic, but it carries MIRV’s which are notoriously challenging. Not arguing at all, just explaining that these are a substantial threat too.
So since Nov ’24 - 1½ years - they used it thrice? Obviously they don’t have too many of those.
What did they hit that was so valuable to use such an expensive missile?
probably a school or a hospital
Putin is desperate. He will likely get a massive drone response.