Russia fires its nuclear-capable hypersonic Oreshnik missile in Ukraine for a third time, with reports saying strikes occur on or around May 24. Channel NewsAsia says the missile is fired again after two earlier instances in the war and highlights remarks by President Vladimir Putin that the weapon could be as devastating as a nuclear strike even when equipped with conventional warheads. The Kyiv Post also reports three uses of the Oreshnik missile, citing recent strikes near Kyiv and in western Ukraine.
Moscow presents the Oreshnik as “state-of-the-art”, describing it as a hypersonic system designed to evade interception. Both outlets describe the weapon’s nuclear-capable nature and the emphasis Russia places on its potential battlefield impact. At the same time, the Kyiv Post notes that outside assessments raise questions about the missile’s manoeuvrability and that its damage appears limited compared with what would be expected from a nuclear-scale effect.
Neither source provides independent verification of the missile’s performance or the full extent of damage, but both agree on the reported pattern of repeated Oreshnik launches and the competing claims about its capabilities.
