Russia launched a new non-nuclear intermediate-range ballistic missile in the Dnipro region of Ukraine on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address, marking another major escalation in the 1,000-day war.
Putin said the Russian strike in Ukraine was carried out on one of the Ukrainian defense industry facilities “in response to the use of American and British long-range weapons on November 21 of this year.”
According to American and Western officials, the ballistic missile carried multiple warheads. This was likely the first time such a weapon had been used in a war.
At least three people were injured in the attack, the head of the Dnipro military command said. Several buildings were damaged.
By using Oreshnik, Russia deviated from the Cold War doctrine of deterrence. Russia and the United States pledged not to develop such weapons under the INF Treaty (Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces).
However, in 2019, this treaty was terminated after the United States withdrew from it. Last June, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of production of medium- and shorter-range missiles in response to Washington’s actions.
According to him, the United States is producing missiles of this category and including them in military exercises held in Europe. The production of the RS-26 Rubezh and RSD-10 Pioneer ballistic missiles could, as estimated, constitute a new response from Moscow to Washington’s withdrawal from the INF Treaty.
What is the MIRV system
The system, known as a Multiple Independently-Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV), carries a series of warheads that can each target a specific location, allowing a single ballistic missile to launch a greater attack than one carrying only one.
MIRVs were developed during the Cold War to allow strikes by multiple nuclear warheads with a single launch. The Minuteman III, which is the US intercontinental ballistic missile, is armed with MIRVs. The Russian missile strike on Dnipro did not involve nuclear warheads, but used a weapon designed for a nuclear strike to deliver a non-nuclear strike – as a conventional weapon.
Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said this was the first use of the experimental intermediate-range ballistic missile in question, which is a development of the Russian RS-26 Rubezh missile. Singh declined to identify the specific type of missile or its capabilities.
This is likely the first time a MIRV has been used in combat. In the past, MIRVs have been “exclusively nuclear warheads.”
The use of this type of missile, armed with conventional warheads, is an escalation of Russia’s nuclear threat, which includes a recent update to its nuclear doctrine.
It is a missile that has the ability to carry a large payload – possibly MIRV – and has the necessary connectors for connection to vehicles carrying nuclear weapons.
