Russia’s new intermediate-range ballistic missile, the Oreshnik, recently fired at Ukraine, was developed using advanced manufacturing equipment from Western companies, despite sanctions, according to The Financial Times. The missile was launched at Dnipro on Nov. 21 in response to Ukraine’s use of American and British weapons to strike deeper into Russia. Key Russian weapons engineering institutes named as developers of the Oreshnik included the Moscow Institute for Thermal Technology (MITT) and Sozvezdie. Job listings in 2024 specified expertise in operating German and Japanese metalworking systems for missile production. Despite sanctions, at least $3 million worth of Heidenhain components were shipped into Russia in 2024.
According to defense expert Fabian Hoffmann, the Oreshnik is a modification of the RS-26 Rubezh missile, not a wholly new development. While Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans for mass production of the Oreshnik, a U.S. official suggested that Russia likely only has a small number of these experimental missiles. The reliance on Western machinery highlights vulnerabilities in Russia’s defense industry amid ongoing sanctions targeting its military capabilities.
In related news, Seoul confirmed the capture of a wounded North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast by Ukrainian forces. The incident was first reported by Ukraine’s military-focused news outlet Militarnyi on Dec 26. This development adds to the existing tensions between North Korea, Russia, and Ukraine.
Source
Photo credit kyivindependent.com
