Russia may have modernized certain types of intercontinental ballistic missiles, says aviation expert Anatoly Khrapchinsky. However, the “Oreshnik” missile launched to strike Lviv Oblast, a region bordering NATO countries, was likely assembled from old Soviet components.
Why Russia warned the US about the missile launch
Khrapchinsky draws attention to a key point: Russia informed the US about the missile launch in advance. According to him, this is unusual for the use of conventional ballistic missiles.
“Because if Russia were using a regular ballistic missile, even medium-range, it would not notify the US that it was going to do so,” the expert emphasizes.
He adds that the day before the launch, Russia did indeed inform Washington, after which the American side issued warnings to its citizens about the threat in Ukraine. This confirms that the action was not just military but also a political message.
Attempted nuclear intimidation: "Oreshnik" as a carrier of fear, not advantage
The expert notes that the Kremlin’s main goal is to intimidate Europe with the possibility of further escalation, including the potential equipping of the missile with a nuclear warhead.
“Because, besides a nuclear warhead, this missile can carry only a concrete block which is essentially what we saw in Lviv or Dnipro,” Khrapchinsky explains.
For this reason, in his view, the “Oreshnik” is not a universal or "wonder weapon" but rather a tool of psychological pressure, intended to create fear rather than actually change the battlefield situation.
The myth of 13,000 km/h and the limits of real threat
Khrapchinsky also commented on widespread claims that the missile allegedly flew at 13,000 kilometers per hour. According to him, such figures, without clarification, are part of the information war.
This speed does not refer to the constant flight velocity but to the final phase of the ballistic trajectory, when the missile approaches the target at a steep angle.
“We quickly absorbed the information about 13,000 kilometers, but it must be understood that only due to the trajectory in the final stage could it reach such a speed,” the expert summarizes.
At the same time, he acknowledged that Ukraine currently lacks the means to intercept such missiles. However, their isolated use does not change the frontline situation and does not give Russia a decisive military advantage.
