MOSCOW, December 16. /TASS/. The new Oreshnik intermediate-range system, which has already proven itself, is a very powerful weapon, and several such systems being used simultaneously would be comparable to nuclear weapons, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, speaking at the Russian Defense Ministry board meeting.

"The Oreshnik system, which has already proven itself well, is very powerful - I would like to reiterate it, and the specialists know it already. The Russian Strategic Missile Forces commander is here, he believes so and he told me about it," the president said. "In case of a complex use, of group use of several systems simultaneously, it would be comparable to nuclear weapons."

"However, [this weapon] is not nuclear," Putin underscored. "Since there is no nuclear fuel, no nuclear component, there is no contamination."

And this, according to the president, is a very significant element for deciding on what weapons to use in the modern circumstances.