Putin Threatens Kyiv with Experimental Hypersonic Missile
The Russian president warns of potential strikes using the Orechnik missile, capable of Mach 10 speeds and described as comparable to a nuclear weapon in destructive power.
- Vladimir Putin announced the possibility of targeting Kyiv with the Orechnik hypersonic missile, citing Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory as justification.
- The Orechnik missile, used for the first time last week in Dnipro, can travel at Mach 10 (approximately 12,350 km/h) and generate temperatures nearing 4,000°C.
- Putin compared the missile's impact to a meteorite strike and claimed its destructive power rivals that of a nuclear weapon when used in multiple strikes, though it is not currently equipped with a nuclear warhead.
- The missile's intermediate range (3,000 to 5,500 km) makes it capable of reaching targets across Europe and potentially the western United States if launched from Russia's Far East.
- Ukrainian officials have urged Western allies to provide advanced air defense systems to counter the Orechnik, which is reportedly difficult to intercept due to its speed and maneuverability.
Le Monde 
Sud Ouest 