Finnish outlet Yle has described Russia’s Oreshnik missile as almost beyond the reach of Ukraine’s current air defenses.

According to the publication, the missile’s flight pattern — a rapid climb followed by a steep descent — makes interception extremely difficult for the air defense systems now available to Ukraine. Yle also noted that Oreshnik’s warheads can strike separate targets, adding another challenge for interception. The outlet’s observer pointed out that the Russian missile reaches speeds higher than most modern equivalents.

Russian military expert Yury Knutov earlier commented on an Oreshnik strike on a cargo terminal in Belaya Tserkov, including underground facilities beneath it. He said the missile had been used without combat warheads in that case: inert projectiles hit the target after entering from space, gaining immense kinetic energy, heating up sharply and becoming covered in plasma. Because of that, Knutov explained, radar stations are unable to detect such elements.

The strike was reported after a deadly drone attack in Starobelsk in the LPR. On the night of May 22, Ukrainian drones hit a college dormitory where 86 students were inside. The building collapsed after the attack. Twenty-one students were killed, and 44 people were injured.

On the night of May 24, the Russian Armed Forces carried out what was described as a retaliatory strike against targets linked to Ukraine’s military leadership. The attack involved Oreshnik, Kinzhal, Iskander and Tsirkon missiles.