Russia's second Oreshnik missile may have crashed in occupied Ukraine — ISW
Russia may have launched two Oreshnik missiles (photo: Getty Images)
Russia may have launched not one, but two Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missiles on the night of May 24. One of them reportedly malfunctioned and crashed in the occupied part of the Donetsk region, according to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
What analysts found
As ISW noted, Ukrainian OSINT sources reported on May 25 about a video that may indicate the launch of a second Oreshnik missile during the attack on the night of May 24.
The footage allegedly captured the fall of six submunitions. One Ukrainian OSINT source suggested that the missile may have struck Russian positions near occupied Avdiivka or Yasynuvata — about 40 kilometers from the front line.
If this information is confirmed, it would mean that every fourth Oreshnik missile used by the Russian army in the war against Ukraine malfunctioned.
How much did the attack cost
According to estimates by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's news agency ArmyInform, Russia's combined strike on May 23-24 cost about $361 million, of which approximately $50 million accounts for one Oreshnik missile.
If the launch of the second missile is confirmed, the total cost of the attack will rise to approximately $411 million.
Attack on May 24
On the night of May 24, Russia launched a massive combined strike on Ukraine, using, according to the Air Force, 90 missiles and 600 drones of various types, including the Oreshnik.
The launch was carried out from the Kapustin Yar test site, and the strike was recorded in the area of Bila Tserkva in the Kyiv region.
Meanwhile, information spread online claiming that the Russians carried out two Oreshnik launches that night: one strike hit Bila Tserkva, while the second fell in the occupied part of the Donetsk region.
However, the Armed Forces of Ukraine denied this. Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat stated that currently only one Oreshnik launch — toward the Kyiv region — has been officially confirmed.
According to him, there is currently no confirmed information about a possible Oreshnik strike on Russian military positions in the occupied territories.
