MOSCOW, December 18. /TASS/. Russia is placing on combat duty the Oreshnik hypersonic missile system, while the West lacks the technological capacity for fulfilling such goals, Alexander Stepanov, military expert with the Institute of Law and National Security at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, told TASS.
"Russia is once again placing advanced systems unmatched by our adversaries, namely hypersonic missiles, on permanent alert. As is well known, the Western military-industrial complex, including the American, has not yet met this technological challenge, while we are already deploying these systems," the expert said.
He noted that established industrial production will make it possible to make tens and even hundreds of items per year to provide strategic coverage for all critical areas and facilities in the Russian border regions. In the event of further escalation attempts by the West, the Oreshnik missile system, armed with a conventional warhead, will strike the entire military-industrial complex of Ukraine and those NATO countries that continue to provide military-technical support to the Kiev regime. Specifically, according to Stepanov, Berlin’s decision to supply Kiev with Taurus cruise missiles for strikes deep into Russian territory legitimizes the facilities producing these weapons as priority and justifiable targets for the Oreshnik missile system.
At the same time, the expert emphasized that the missile system will also ensure security of the [Russia-Belarus] Union State, protecting Belarus amid growing military threats from Poland. In addition, this system could potentially be used as an export solution for Russia's strategic partners. "This creates new opportunities for establishing a balance of power in regions where Western countries are attempting to escalate the situation," Stepanov said.
According to the expert, Russia is also stepping up security measures in space in response to the West's militarization of near-Earth space. The S-500 anti-aircraft missile system is being deployed to counter new threats, such as the possible deployment of strike systems in orbit. "The S-500 is a multifunctional air defense and missile defense system, designed to destroy, among other things, low-orbit targets. The missiles will neutralize the enemy’s strategic potential, ensuring reliable interception of hypersonic missiles and the destruction of satellites in low orbits," Stepanov stated.
On December 17, 2025, Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov announced during the ministry’s final year-end board meeting that the first regiment equipped with the S-500 system had entered combat duty, marking a major milestone in Russia’s strategic missile defense capabilities. Russian President Vladimir Putin also announced that the Oreshnik medium-range hypersonic missile system would be placed on combat duty by the end of 2025.