Russia may soon launch a new attack against Ukraine using experimental intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs), US officials say.
The official said Russia could launch an Oreshnik IRBM toward Ukraine “within days” to intimidate Ukraine and its supporters.
“Oleshnik is not a game-changer on the battlefield, but rather another attempt by Russia to terrorize Ukraine, and we believe it will fail,” the official said.
Russia has only a few Oreshnik missiles, the official added, and they have smaller warheads than other missiles regularly launched into Ukraine.
“Ukraine has withstood all previous Russian missile attacks and will withstand future use of Oreshnik,” the official said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced last month that his military had fired the Oreshnik for the first time, days after the United States authorized Ukraine to fire long-range missiles at Russia.
President Putin claimed that the missile launch hit Ukraine's military headquarters and that the missile could reach speeds of Mach 10, or more than 7,000 miles per hour.
IRBMs can reach targets up to 3,500 miles away.
The Biden administration is seeking to secure a final round of approximately $5 billion in funding for Ukraine before President-elect Trump takes office in January.
The official said on Wednesday that Kiev is focusing on shipping air defense missiles to Ukraine so that it can “counter to all Russian missiles and drones.”
