OR Ukraine destroyed one of them Russians medium range missiles Oreshnik during a special operation in the summer of 2023, according to its chief Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

Vasyl Maliuk told reporters that the operation was carried out in cooperation between the SBU, the GUR military secret service and a foreign secret service, stressing that it was “100% successful”.

The Reuters agency notes that it could not confirm information from independent sources.

Russia first used the Oreshnik (Russian for hazelnut) missile against Ukraine in November 2024. The target was a defense installation in the city of Dnipro, more than a year after Kiev allegedly shot down one of the missiles.

Maliuk stated that “one of the three Oreshniks successfully destroyed on the Russian territory of Kapustin Yar”during a briefing attended by President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s foreign minister, the head of the spy agency and other officials.

No further details were given on how the operation was carried out.

According to Ukrainian intelligence officials, Russia produced three Oreshnik missiles in 2024 and plans to double annual production to six.

President Zelensky pointed out that 25 companies are involved in the production of Oreshnik missiles and called on Western partners to impose sanctions on these companies.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the Oreshnik missile is unstoppable and has a power comparable to that of a nuclear weapon, although Western experts dispute these claims. Putin said in June that Russia had increased production, without giving further details.

Oreshnik missiles were used in joint Russia-Belarus military exercises last month. This week, Belarus, a close ally of Russia, announced that it would deploy the Oreshnik missile system on its territory, which borders Ukraine, in December.