Russian leader Vladimir Putin suggested on Thursday that an experimental “duel” be held between Moscow’s newly unveiled Oreshnik missile and Western-made air defenses.
Speaking at his annual press conference, Putin slammed the idea that the Oreshnik could be shot down by anti-missile defenses.
“If the experts in the West think so, well, let them come up with a proposal to us, and to the US. They can suggest a kind of technological experiment, a kind of high-tech fighting duel of the 21st century,” Putin said, per a translation of the conference.
Putin said both parties could agree upon a target in Kyiv, where Ukraine could “concentrate all of their air defense and anti-missile defense.”
“We will strike it with Oreshnik and we will see what’s going to happen. We are willing to conduct such an experiment,” he said.
He also suggested that it could benefit the US by allowing the Pentagon to glean information from the strike.
“So let’s conduct this duel and look at the outcome. It’s going to be interesting because it’s going to be useful both to us and the American side,” he added.
Russia initially fired the Oreshnik in late November, hitting the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
The new missile, which appears to have its roots in the RS-26 Rubezh intermediate-range ballistic missile, was described by Putin as flying as fast as Mach 10, or 10 times the speed of sound.
That velocity makes it extremely difficult for anti-missile defenses to counter. The Oreshnik is also believed to deploy a cluster payload and is capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
Additionally, the missile’s purported range allows it to hit any target in Europe. Russia has, in recent weeks, touted it as a new class of weapon in the Ukraine war.
Shortly after Putin’s comment, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took to X to voice his disapproval of the “duel” proposal.
“People are dying, and he thinks it’s ‘interesting,’” Zelenskyy wrote on X on Thursday evening. “Dumbass.”
US defenses vs Russian missiles
Ukraine has placed great emphasis on its need for US-made Patriot systems to protect its skies, and Zelenskyy has said his nation needs at least 25 of them. It’s unclear exactly how many Patriot batteries Ukraine fields now, but it’s been confirmed to have at least four systems donated by NATO members and another five on the way.
They’re expensive to use. Each Patriot missile costs up to $6 million and even then, may struggle against advanced weapons maneuvering at the speeds Putin is advertising. These munitions, often called hypersonic missiles, have been a key concern for the Pentagon.
Notably, the Kinzhal, a previously much-hyped missile, was also touted by Russia as hypersonic and “unstoppable.” But it has reportedly been downed dozens of times by Patriot batteries in Ukraine.
Still, the Kinzhal appears to be less advanced in maneuverability and glide potential than the Oreshnik and China’s Dongfeng hypersonic missiles.
Meanwhile, Western experts still question how many Oreshnik missiles Russia has in its inventory, and the US calls it an experimental weapon. Moscow’s strike on Dnipro was largely seen as a show of force, and the Pentagon has said it may launch a similar strike on Ukraine soon.
On Monday, Putin told state media that serial production of the Oreshnik would begin soon.
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