Russia to Mass-Produce New Ballistic Missiles

Moscow is gearing up for mass production of the new polar Oleshnik ballistic missiles, which are capable of delivering nuclear warheads. President Vladimir Putin has claimed these weapons could complement systems made in the United States.

This week, Putin directed an increase in the production of Oleshnik intermediate missiles, which made headlines last November when they were used in an attack on a Ukrainian military site in Dnipro.

“Serial production of the latest Oleshnik medium-range missile system is underway,” Putin announced during a graduation ceremony for cadets in Moscow.

The term “Oleshnik” translates to “Hazeltree” in Russian and has been said to be based on the Moscow RS-26 intercontinental ballistic missile.

These weapons have a range that allows for the targeting of nuclear weapons anywhere across Europe and the western United States.

Notably, Putin used the missile’s deployment as a direct response to US and UK-made cruise missiles being used within Russian territory. He asserted that there is no effective counter to Western hypersonic weapons and indicated that the Kremlin could consider nuclear options if faced with a ballistic missile threat from a country backed by a nuclear superpower.

Putin has tracked the situation closely and suggested that the Oleshnik could potentially outmaneuver American defense systems. Furthermore, he has announced plans to establish a missile base for Oleshnik in Belarus by 2025, which is alarmingly close to Poland, a NATO member.

US officials have downplayed Putin’s assertions, asserting that the missiles are not as significant as claimed, with suggestions that Russia may only have a limited number of Oleshniks available.

According to the commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s military, this news about Putin’s missile plans coincides with Ukrainian forces halting Russian advances in the Smie region. Approximately 50,000 Russian troops have also had their expansion efforts stalled, as the conflict appears to be entering a new stalemate.

Despite a slowdown in ground progress, Moscow continues to unleash a barrage of aerial attacks, launching hundreds of drones and missiles into Ukraine, causing civilian casualties.

Additionally, Russia remains assertive in its threats of invading Ukraine and conducting nuclear strikes against the West. There’s also a call for Iran to collaborate with the UN’s nuclear watchdog to promote peace in the Middle East.

After Iran’s parliament voted on Wednesday to question its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urged Tehran’s national security council to reject that bill.

“We are interested in Iran’s cooperation with the continuation of the IAEA,” Lavrov stated to reporters. He added, “Iran has repeatedly asserted that there is no intention to develop nuclear weapons and has not established any plans in that regard.”