August M
Testing advanced weaponry is always a high-stakes gamble for global superpowers.
When multi-million-dollar technology fails in public, the fallout can create major political and military headaches. This week, a highly publicized military trial appears to have gone terribly wrong, reports The Express.
A devastating error
Reports indicate that a top-tier Russian weapon accidentally struck the Kremlin’s own troops in occupied Ukraine. According to The Express, an Oreshnik hypersonic missile malfunctioned during a recent test launch and hit friendly positions in the Donetsk region.
The advanced missile can carry both nuclear and conventional warheads across thousands of miles. However, this particular launch went off course almost immediately. Experts tracking the conflict believe the weapon mistakenly targeted Russian-held towns located roughly 25 miles behind the front lines.
Independent groups have already started studying the evidence. The Institute for the Study of War analysed video footage showing several massive explosions hitting local landmarks, including an unfinished shopping complex. Ukrainian military channels also suggested that the mistake resulted in direct hits on Russian military units.
A costly mistake
The incident happened during a coordinated double-fire exercise at the Kapustin Yar test site in western Russia on May 24. While one missile flew toward Kyiv, the other failed just after its 1am launch, as reported by The Sun.
Losing one of these weapons is a painful financial hit for Moscow. Each Oreshnik missile costs roughly £40 million. Russia first deployed the technology last November during a devastating strike on the city of Dnipro.
At the time, the sheer power of the weapon shocked observers. Vladimir Putin later bragged about the technology, stating that “there are currently no ways of counteracting this weapon” because it flies at ten times the speed of sound.
Going backwards
This high-profile accident comes at a bad time for the Kremlin. The head of the British intelligence agency GCHQ, Anne Keast-Butler, recently claimed that Russia is “going backwards on the battlefield” due to slowing advances.
Recent data suggests that Ukrainian forces are currently clawing back territory. For the first time since 2023, Ukraine is regaining more ground than it loses.
To make matters worse for Moscow, Ukrainian forces also launched fresh drone strikes against energy targets inside Russia. The General Staff of Ukraine confirmed that its drones successfully hit the Saratov oil refinery, sparking a massive fire at a facility known for supplying the Russian war effort.
Sources: The Express, The Sun, Institute for the Study of War
