Andrei Kolesnik, a member of the Russian State Duma’s Defence Committee, has stated that Russia may once again deploy the «Oreshnik» medium-range ballistic missile system against Ukraine. He linked this possibility to a further increase in attacks, which Moscow describes as «terrorist». At the same time, the Russian Ministry of Defence has not announced any preparations for a specific new launch.
Briefly about the main points
- Kolesnik described a possible new «Oreshnik» strike as imminent.
- The MP referred to the attacks on Novorossiysk and Sochi.
- His words do not constitute a decision by the Russian military command.
- Russia has already deployed the system during the war against Ukraine.
- The Main Intelligence Directorate reported on units linked to «Oreshnik» in Belarus.
Kolesnik linked the possible launch to attacks on Russian territory
Kolesnik said that, in his view, Ukraine was «already close» to a new a strike with the «Oreshnik». He cited the recent attacks on Novorossiysk and Sochi as examples and stated that Moscow might regard a further increase in such strikes as grounds for deploying the system.
The Russian side describes these attacks as strikes against the civilian population. The MP’s statement represents his own assessment, not an announcement of a decision that has been taken: there have been no public statements from the Russian military authorities regarding a specific date, launch area or target.
A Russian MP explained why the complex was not used very often
A few days before this latest statement, Kolesnik claimed that military installations in Ukraine are often located close to residential areas, and that a strike by such a missile could cause significant damage in the vicinity of the target. He also described the «Oreshnik» as an expensive type of weapon.
Separately, the MP stated that Russia is allegedly not using the system to target Kyiv due to the risk of damaging surrounding buildings and civilian infrastructure. This is Kolesnik’s position. Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities during the full-scale war regularly result in civilian deaths and injuries.
Notable instances of the use of «Oreshnik» in the war against Ukraine
News of the system’s first combat deployment emerged following the strike on Dnipro on 21 November 2024. Moscow described it as «Oreshnik»a new medium-range ballistic missile system«, whilst Western and Ukrainian sources linked it to the Russian RS-26 »Rubezh’ project.
In May 2026, Russia once again deployed the system during one of the largest combined strikes on Kyiv and the Kyiv region. The Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed at the time that the «Oreshnik» had been used alongside «Iskander», «Kinzhal» and «Zircon» missiles. Reuters reported that this was the third known instance of the system being used in the war. The attack resulted in fatalities, with dozens of civilians injured, and significant damage was recorded in Kyiv and the region.
The Main Intelligence Directorate reported on Russian missile units in Belarus
Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate Oleg Ivashchenko On 7 September, he announced the presence in Belarus of Russian units armed with «Oreshnik» missiles. According to him, these include the 101st Missile Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces. The Russian authorities had previously also stated that the system had been placed on combat duty on Belarusian territory in December 2025.
At the same time, Ukrainian intelligence assesses the level of military threat directly from the Belarusian direction as low and sees no signs that the Belarusian army is preparing to enter the war. The presence of Russian missile units in Belarus does not in itself imply preparations for a new launch against Ukraine.
