Kyiv research institute finds 2016 parts in Russian Oreshnik missile
The remains of a Russian hypersonic Oreshnik missile revealed components dating back to 2016-2017, suggesting it is not a groundbreaking new weapon but rather a modification of the older Rubezh missile, according to the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise, The Economist reports.
Andriy Kulchytskyi, head of the institute's lab, said that earlier examinations of Russian Shahed drones uncovered components such as a Bosch launch button and a Chinese engine with a screw labeled "Made in the USA."
"Almost everything you see here has a huge number of Chinese elements. It's impossible to control what the Chinese have handed over to the Russians," one Ukrainian engineer said.
The Oreshnik missile debris supports suspicions that it is merely an upgraded version of the RS-26 Rubezh intermediate-range ballistic missile. According to analysts, the Oreshnik is designed as a "show of force" intended to impress a Western audience.
"One part dates from 2017. Another, inside one of the missile's warheads, dates to 2016," The Economist noted.
A more pressing concern, however, is the newly modified Shahed drones that Russia now manufactures domestically instead of importing from Iran. Ukrainian engineers warn that these drones are becoming more resistant to jamming.
The upgraded drones are faster, more maneuverable, and capable of flying at higher altitudes. A recent example was the January 1 attack, during which two Shaheds breached Kyiv's government district.
Additionally, some Russian drones may soon be equipped with artificial intelligence for "autonomous drone salvos," a Ukrainian engineer said. In such cases, electronic warfare systems might become ineffective at all.
