Russian missile intended for Kyiv allegedly explodes in Russia
The weekly magazine Forbes reports that Thursday morning saw another launch of an Oreshnik missile by the Russians. The missile was intended to strike Kyiv but did not reach its target, likely exploding within Russia. However, this information has not yet been confirmed.
Forbes, referencing Ukrainian war correspondent Kyrylo Sazonov, reports that the Russians launched an "Oreshnik" missile toward Ukraine for the second time on Thursday morning. Air raid alarms were triggered, prompting people to seek shelter, as the "Oreshnik" was targeted at Kyiv.
Around 5 AM Eastern Time, the alarm was canceled. No strike occurred.
Ukrainian war correspondent Kyrylo Sazonov indicated that the Oreshnik "did not fly far." It reportedly malfunctioned and detonated on Russian soil.
Putin had earlier threatened to attack Kyiv
Forbes notes that while confirmation is pending, this scenario seems highly likely. Just a week following the initial "Oreshnik" incident, Putin threatened additional attacks and clearly stated his intention to target "decision-making centers" in Kyiv.
"But the threat was only as real as the Oreshnik is reliable," Forbes reports.
The Oreshnik, described as complicated and inaccurate, is a costly means to cause relatively little destruction, stated Jeffrey Lewis, director of the Nonproliferation Program in East Asia at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, to Reuters. It is considered a terrorist weapon—a device meant to instill fear in many more people than it actually harms or kills.
"There is no information that the missile crashed in Russia"
The Ukrainian service 24tv.ua recalls that on the morning of February 6, alarms were indeed raised across Ukraine due to the threat of a ballistic missile launch from the Kapustnyj Yar testing ground. However, the attack did not occur.
Monitor Channel, which tracks the movement of Russian planes, drones, and missiles, has not confirmed the launch of the "Oreshnik." It also reported that there is no information about the missile having crashed in Russia.
