An archive photo
MINSK, 11 December (BelTA) – Oreshnik may be a modification of the RS-26 Rubezh strategic ballistic missile, independent military expert Aleksandr Alesin said in a new episode of BelTA’s YouTube project V Teme [On Point].
“According to unofficial [statements of] Russian and Western experts, Oreshnik is a modification of the RS-26, or Rubezh strategic ballistic missile. This was a very interesting missile. It had features of both an intermediate-range ballistic missile and a strategic missile, i.e. it had a range of 6,000 km. And intermediate-range missiles are classified as such if they have a range of 5,500 km,” Aleksandr Alesin said.
The military analyst noted that this missile had all the characteristics of an intermediate-range missile. This includes a flat trajectory, the ability to maneuver, and others. “The missile has been successfully test-launched. It was planned to be put into service by 2016. But since the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was in effect, the Americans made a case that it was an intermediate-range missile, and the 500 km was added to its characteristics just to dodge the restrictions,” he said.
According to Aleksandr Alesin, Russia did not want to fall out with the United States. “The development of this missile was discontinued. There was a report that in 2017, Vladimir Putin gave instructions to stop the work on this system and suspend its deployment. The official reason was the following: this system costs money, and Russia already had Topol-M, Yars, and Sarmat missiles. Too many missiles and too much money. But, as I see it, the main reason was that Russia did not want to ruin relations with America,” the military analyst remarked.
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