Russia’s Oreshnik Hypersonic Missile Threatens Ukraine: Speed Over Mach 10 Makes It Nearly Impossible to Intercept

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Russia’s newly developed Oreshnik missile is sending shockwaves through the defense community. With speeds surpassing Mach 10—approximately 7,680 miles per hour—the missile is nearly impossible to intercept with current U.S. missile defense systems. This puts Ukraine in a perilous position, as it faces an attack that could bypass existing protective measures.

First used in combat on November 21, 2024, the Oreshnik missile is classified as an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), meaning it’s designed to travel between 620 to 3,420 miles. Its hypersonic capabilities enable it to maneuver unpredictably, making it even harder to detect and destroy. The U.S. and its allies are scrambling to find a solution to counteract the missile’s high speed and maneuverability.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for increased air defense support, with a particular emphasis on countering new hypersonic threats like the Oreshnik. With no effective defense currently in place, Ukraine’s vulnerability to this missile has sparked urgent discussions with international partners to fast-track advanced air defense systems.

In addition to the missile’s speed, experts emphasize its potential to strike key infrastructure with devastating precision. Its speed alone is a game changer in missile warfare, as existing defense systems struggle to react in time. This missile’s ability to avoid interception highlights a massive gap in current missile defense technologies, making it a major escalation in the ongoing conflict.

As Russia intensifies its use of the Oreshnik missile, the pressure on Ukraine to bolster its defense systems grows. For now, Ukraine’s hope rests on international collaboration to develop and deploy new technologies capable of neutralizing hypersonic threats before it’s too late.