'Hazel tree'),[2] is a Russian intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) characterized by its reported speed exceeding Mach 10 (12,300 km/h; 7,610 mph; 3.40 km/s), according to the Ukrainian military.
[7] Initially, Ukrainian reports speculated that the attack involved an intercontinental ballistic missile;[4] however, subsequent assessments identified the Oreshnik as the weapon used.
[8] According to senior Ukrainian officials, the missile was equipped with "dummy" warheads that lacked explosives, prompting U.S. experts to describe the method as an "expensive way to deliver not that much destruction".
[10] A director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies said that Oreshnik's warheads, even inert, can cause "a lot of damage" because of the kinetic energy created by their hypersonic speed.
Though Putin has emphasized claims of the experimental nature of the system and its hypersonic capability, according to several military experts, the weapon is actually an application of old technology used for many years in ICBMs.
[22] According to The Moscow Times, the medium-range missile strike was part of a propaganda campaign orchestrated by the Russian military and intelligence services to intimidate Western leadership and populations.
The operation was reportedly a response to Ukraine being permitted to use long-range missiles against Russian targets, with the ultimate aim of coercing the West into yielding to Moscow's demands.
[23] Military expert Mathieu Boulegue of Chatham House (UK) stated that while the "Oreshnik" missile does not alter the dynamics on the battlefield, it effectively serves the Kremlin’s purpose of intimidating Western audiences.