Intelligence reveals Russia's Oreshnik missile stockpile
Illustrative photo: Oreshnik ballistic missile (Russian media)
Russia currently has no more than three or four Oreshnik missiles in its arsenal, but plans to launch serial production in 2026, aiming to manufacture five or more missiles per year, Oleh Luhovskyi, First Deputy Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, said in his interview with Ukrinform.
"According to our estimates, Russia has no more than 3-4 such missiles. We know that the Russian Ministry of Defense plans to put Oreshnik into serial production in 2026 and acquire the capacity to manufacture five or more such missiles per year," he noted.
At the same time, he stressed that "the Oreshnik has more political than military significance," calling it primarily a tool of intimidation aimed at Ukraine's European partners.
"And its combat effectiveness is questionable. Oreshnik is based on last century's technology and requires constant technical support and prompt troubleshooting," he said.
Luhovskyi added that Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service is working closely with partner intelligence agencies to build a shared, objective assessment of the Oreshnik and to counter disinformation from Russia and Belarus.
Recently, the NATO–Ukraine Council held an emergency meeting in Brussels following a wave of Russian attacks, including the use of the Oreshnik missile.
Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Serhii Boiev said a strike involving an Oreshnik missile near NATO borders was further evidence of Russia's aggressive policy and its lack of interest in ending the war.
On the night of January 9, Russian forces struck Ukraine's Lviv region with a medium-range ballistic Oreshnik missile.
Ukraine's Security Service has since displayed fragments of the Oreshnik missile, which will be sent for expert analysis as physical evidence.
Meanwhile, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko recently claimed that the Oreshnik missile system has already been placed on combat duty in Belarus.
