Security officials in Kiev have recovered the remains of a new hypersonic ballistic missile launched by Russia into central Ukraine, warning that Russia is turning Ukraine into a “testing ground” for bombs.
Charred fragments of a new Oreshnik missile were displayed to reporters on Sunday after it was used against military facilities in Dnipropetrovsk last week.
Oleshnik, which means hazel tree in Russian, is believed to be based on Moscow's RS-26 Lubezh intercontinental ballistic missile and can carry either conventional or nuclear warheads.
Several destroyed parts of the rocket were recovered from the explosion, including mangled wires and a fuselage the size of a large snow tire.
“It should be noted that this is the first time that such missile remains were discovered on the territory of Ukraine,” an expert from Ukraine's Security Service told The Associated Press.
The rocket, which has not yet been fully analyzed, reached a speed of about 8,500 miles per hour after it was launched from the No. 4 missile test site in Russia's Astrakhan region on Thursday, according to Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the use of new missiles and last week's bombing by some 460 drones proved that Russia sees his country as nothing more than a firing range. .
“Ukraine is not a weapons testing site. Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state,” President Zelenskiy said in a statement on Sunday.
“Nonetheless, Russia continues its attempts to destroy our people, instill fear and panic, and weaken our country,” he added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously warned that the use of the Oleshnik missile was a direct response to Kiev's use of American and British long-range weapons in Russia, which would escalate the war. He said he had done so.
President Putin recently warned that Moscow was stockpiling additional new Oleshnik missiles and vowed to use them against Kiev.
“We will continue these tests, including in combat situations, depending on the situation and the nature of the security threat posed to Russia,” Putin said in televised comments.
“Furthermore, we have an inventory of such products, an inventory of such systems ready for use,” he added.
with post wire
