Kedr complex: Ukraine's intelligence reveals details of new Russian ballistic missile striking Dnipro
Illustrative photo: Russia struck Dnipro with the Kedr complex (Russian media)
Russia attacked Dnipro with the Kedr missile system on Thursday, November 21. This is a new ballistic weapon of Russia, Ukraine's Defense Intelligence reports.
The missile was launched from Russia's Astrakhan region. It struck Dnipro just 15 minutes after the launch.
The missile was equipped with six warheads. Each of them is equipped with six submunitions. The speed at the final section of the trajectory is over 11 Mach.
The Kedr missile system was developed by several Russian military-industrial enterprises, including:
- Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology (Moscow);
- Titan-Barrikady Federal Research and Development Centre (Volgograd);
- Main Special Design Bureau Projector (Moscow);
- Sozvezdie Concern (Voronezh);
- Research and Production Enterprise SpecEnergoMechanics (Moscow);
- Continent Research and Development Centre of Special Equipment and Conversion (Moscow).
Testing of the Kedr system took place at the Kapustin Yar missile range in the Astrakhan region between October 2023 and June 2024.
Kedr missile system
In 2020, Russian state media reported on the alleged development of a new missile system codenamed "Kedr". The Russians claimed it would be a "new generation" strategic missile system. It was also called "promising".
Russia did not disclose any technical characteristics of the system, as well as the companies involved in its development.
Already in 2021, Russia announced the alleged first exercises and later revealed the first details about the missiles. The Kedr system was supposed to receive a solid-fuel missile. It was planned to be used in mine and mobile launchers. The missile system was supposed to replace the Yars intercontinental ballistic missile.
Strike on Dnipro with new Russian missile
On November 21, Russia launched a missile strike targeting Ukraine, focusing on Dnipro. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile over Ukraine for the first time.
Reports said that Russia allegedly used the Rubezh missile for the strike. Read detailed information about this missile in our material.
Later, Russian president Vladimir Putin said that the Dnipropetrovsk region was hit by the Oreshnik medium-range missile system. Analysts believe that the aforementioned Oreshnik is the Rubezh, and the Russians deliberately confuse the missile names.
The Russians said that they warned the US before launching the missile. The Pentagon confirmed this.
According to media reports, Ukraine is calling a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council next week due to Russia's use of the new missile.
