The Oreshnik missile reportedly hit the town of Bila Tserkva just south of Kyiv overnight Sunday, according to a statement from the Ukrainian Air Force.
Jörgen Elfving, a lieutenant colonel who has taught at the Swedish Defence University, says that the missile causes damage based on the high kinetic energy when it hits.
In connection with occasions when it has been used, such as when Ukraine has done something that has harmed Russia, a number of commentators have repeatedly mentioned Oreshnik as an appropriate response, he says.
Weapons of revenge
Is it about Russia wanting to show itself as strong?
Yes, and not just to show strength, but as a weapon of retaliation.
The reason the missile was used this time, Elfving believes, is that Russia wanted to avenge the Ukrainian attack in the Luhansk region on Friday night, which, according to Russia, targeted student housing at a university.
Ukraine has denied attacking civilian infrastructure, saying the site was the headquarters of a Russian military unit.
Joakim Paasikivi, lieutenant colonel and senior geopolitical advisor at Mannheimer Swartling, also says that the missile is used when Russia wants to "mark something."
The military effect is small if you don't hit a very specific target, but it's a signal back home, "we're going to take it tough," he says on "Godmorgon, världen" on SR.
Nuclear weapons
According to Russia, the missile can be equipped with nuclear weapons and in such cases is an addition to Russia's already broad range of nuclear delivery systems, such as aircraft, missiles and submarines, says Jörgen Elfving.
So far, the attack fits with what is already known about Russian warfare, but if more follow, it should be seen as an escalation, according to Elfving.
It remains to be seen whether there will be any continuation of these attacks, he says.
It is also worth noting that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned on Saturday that Russia was planning to launch a hypersonic missile.
This indicates that the Ukrainian intelligence situation is quite good, says Jörgen Elfving.
