The ballistic missile launched by Russia on Nov. 21 against the city of Dnipro was likely part of the "Kedr" missile complex tested in recent years, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) said.
Several companies part of the Russian military-industrial complex were involved in developing "Kedr," which was tested at the Kapustin Yar test site in 2023 and 2024, HUR said on Nov. 22.
HUR's statement comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his televised address to the nation on Nov. 21 that the attack was a test of Russia's "newest missile," an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) called "Oreshnik."
The missile was launched at Dnipro from Russia's Astrakhan Oblast and covered nearly 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) in 15 minutes, according to HUR.
The missile was equipped with six warheads, each carrying six submunitions. The speed on the final section of the missile's trajectory was over Mach (М) 11. At a temperature of 15°C (59°F), the speed of 1 M in the atmosphere is 1,225 kilometers per hour (716 miles per hour).
"It is an experimental system. Let's just say it's a medium-range ballistic missile. It is a carrier of nuclear weapons. The fact that they used it in a non-nuclear version is, as they (Russians) say, a warning from them that they have not gone completely crazy," military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said at an event on Nov. 22.
Budanov called Russia's latest development "a prototype," adding that it is not currently in mass production.
Russian media circulated information about the development of a missile system called "Kedr" in 2021, labeling it "a new-generation strategic complex."
Initial reports by Ukrainian authorities suggested that Russia had test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile to target Dnipro. Later that evening, Putin said the new "Oreshnik" IRBM had allegedly been used.
Little is known about the "Oreshnik" missile referred to by Putin, but military expert Yan Matveev told Russian independent media outlet IStories that it could be a modified version of the "Rubezh" IRBM.
The RS-26 "Rubezh" is reported to have a range of up to 6,000 kilometers and can carry four warheads, each with an estimated payload of 0.3 megatons.
Chris York
