Russia may use Oreshnik missiles against Ukraine again, US Intelligence warns

Six US-made ATACMS ballistic missiles were used, says Russia

A US Intelligence assessment has raised concerns that Russia may soon use its new intermediate-range ballistic missile, the Oreshnik, against Ukraine once again. This missile, first deployed in a strike on Ukraine’s Dnipro city in November, is regarded more as a tool for intimidation rather than a significant game-changer on the battlefield, according to US officials.

The warning comes amid escalating tensions in the nearly three-year war, which is intensifying as both sides vie for battlefield advantage. The U.S. has recently pledged nearly USD 1 billion in new security assistance to Ukraine, while Western allies have hinted at the possibility of negotiations to end the conflict in the coming months. U.S. officials have said that Russia is preparing for another Oreshnik missile launch, potentially as soon as the end of the month.

This follows a recent attack by Ukraine, which used six US-made ATACMS missiles to target a military air base in Taganrog, located in southern Russia’s Rostov region. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that two of the missiles were intercepted by its air defense systems, and four others were deflected by electronic warfare tools. Despite the failure to inflict major casualties, Russia’s military vowed retaliation, stating that such attacks with Western-made long-range weapons would not go unanswered.

The Oreshnik missile, still in limited supply, has a smaller warhead compared to Russia’s other missiles but carries significant psychological weight. It is seen as a tool of intimidation, capable of striking Ukraine from a considerable distance. The missile’s first operational use was in the November attack on Dnipro, where surveillance footage showed massive fireballs tearing through the night sky. Following the strike, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the missile’s capabilities and warned that future attacks could target Ukraine’s NATO allies who have supplied Ukraine with longer-range weapons.

Putin has also stated that the missile’s ability to evade interception makes it highly effective, and he has suggested that multiple Oreshnik missiles could have the destructive power of a small nuclear strike. Putin further warned that the missile could be used to target critical Ukrainian infrastructure, including government facilities in Kyiv if the conflict escalates.

The missile is classified as an experimental intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), capable of traveling distances between 500 and 5,500 kilometers. It was developed based on Russia’s RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and was part of a class of weapons banned under a 1987 treaty that both the US and Russia abandoned in 2019.

While Russia continues to test and deploy these advanced weapons, the US and its allies are providing continued support to Ukraine, with President-elect Donald Trump expressing interest in mediating a ceasefire. Trump has also suggested that Ukraine may soon receive less U.S. military aid. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has recently approved an additional USD 988 million long-term aid package, on top of earlier military support including counter-drone systems and HIMARS munitions.

As both Russia and Ukraine intensify their military efforts, the global community is watching closely. The possibility of more Oreshnik missile launches has raised alarms about further escalation in a war that continues to claim countless lives and reshape geopolitics in Europe and beyond.

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