Putin says new Russian missile system reflects modern development, not Soviet legacy

Russia’s president Vladimir Putin has emphasised that the country’s Oreshnik hypersonic missile system represents contemporary Russian engineering rather than an upgrade of Soviet-era technology.

Speaking at a Defence Ministry board meeting with military-industrial representatives and missile designers, Putin acknowledged the influence of Soviet developments whilst asserting the system’s modern origins. “Whilst we all learned from Soviet systems, this represents entirely new work conducted in modern Russia, using the latest technological developments,” he said.

The Russian Defence Ministry reports that the system was used for the first time in combat on 21 November, targeting what it described as a military-industrial facility in Dnipro, Ukraine. According to the ministry, the missile, carrying multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle (MIRV) warheads, successfully struck its intended targets. The ministry characterised the strike as a response to alleged British and American long-range missile attacks on Russian territory.

This development coincides with significant changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine. On 19 November, Putin signed a decree approving an updated nuclear deterrence policy that expands the circumstances under which Russia might consider nuclear weapons use. The revised doctrine notably includes provisions for potential nuclear responses to conventional attacks that threaten Russian sovereignty.

The new policy also introduces a significant shift by stating that Russia would consider attacks by non-nuclear states supported by nuclear powers as joint attacks. Additionally, the doctrine extends nuclear deterrence considerations to include large-scale deployments of aircraft, missiles, and drones crossing Russian borders, as well as attacks on Belarus, which Russia considers an ally.