Ukrainian investigators are carefully studying pieces of a new Russian missile that was used in an attack on the city of Dnipro. This missile is the first of its kind to be used in the war and is called the Oreshnik, or Hazel Tree, by Russia. The missile is said to travel faster than 8,000 mph and has a range of up to 3,400 miles, making it hard to stop with air defenses.
On Sunday, a small group of reporters, including from Reuters, visited the site where the missile’s remains were collected. The wreckage was laid out in a special hangar, where Ukrainian experts examine it to learn more about how Russia makes and uses its weapons. These investigations help Ukraine find ways to defend itself better.
The missile was designed to be faster and harder to intercept, which makes it a powerful weapon. Ukrainian officials said that this was the first time such a missile had been found on Ukrainian soil. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called it a serious escalation in the war and asked for help from Ukraine’s allies.
The missile’s design is based on a much larger, intercontinental ballistic missile, which Russia has tested before. However, the new missile is still experimental, and only a few have been made. Russia has said it will continue testing and using this missile in the conflict.
At the moment, it’s unclear how much damage the missile caused. Ukraine usually keeps information about military targets secret to avoid giving Russia any advantage. The investigation continues as Ukraine works to understand this new threat better.
