Putin announces continued testing of Oreshnik hypersonic missile in combat
Russia's President Vladimir Putin announced on November 22, 2024, that Russia will continue testing the Oreshnik hypersonic missile in combat. This follows its first use against Ukraine, which Putin described as a successful test. He stated that Russia has a stockpile of these missiles ready for deployment. The Oreshnik missile can carry multiple warheads and has a range of 3,000-5,500 km, allowing it to strike targets across Europe and the western United States. Ukraine reported that the missile reached speeds over 13,000 kph and took about 15 minutes to hit its target. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy condemned the missile's use as a severe escalation in the conflict. He noted that Ukraine is developing new air defense systems to address the increased threat. The Kremlin indicated that the missile serves as a warning to the West regarding support for Ukraine.