The Russian medium-range ballistic missile 'Oreshnik', which the Kremlin claims is a breakthrough weapon, suffers from critical accuracy issues. According to an investigation published by RBC-Ukraine citing the analytics company Dallas Analytics, the reason for the misses lies in the use of obsolete Soviet equipment that cannot be properly calibrated.
Technical collapse: Soviet gyroscope vs. hypersonics
Analysts gained access to internal correspondence between Russian defense enterprises. The documents indicate that the key component responsible for guidance is the GU-503 gyroscopic unit. This is an aviation instrument of Soviet design that was hastily adapted for the new missile.
The specifics of the 'Oreshnik's' operation at hypersonic speeds make it extremely sensitive to the slightest deviations. Even an error of half a degree in the operation of the GU-503 unit causes the missile to miss its target by tens of kilometers.
Production deadlock and lack of quality control
In a letter dated March 18, 2025, the enterprise JSC 'MZP' officially notified the customer of the inability to ensure accuracy. Serial production of GU-503 units has ceased, and the equipment for their calibration was developed back in the early 1970s. Most of this technical park is already broken, and there is nothing to replace it with.
As a result, factories are forced to assemble missiles without checking the accuracy of the gyroscopes. Pressure from the country's leadership to meet tight deadlines led manufacturers to completely abandon standard quality control procedures.
2025 marking and admission during tests
Expert analysis of debris from shot-down missiles confirmed that the GU-503 units bear a 2025 marking. This proves that Russia has still failed to develop a modern replacement for the Soviet instrument and continues to use it under current conditions.
The situation was exacerbated by an incident in May 2026, when an 'Oreshnik' missile hit a garage cooperative in Bila Tserkva. In response to criticism, Vladimir Putin stated at a press conference that the strike on a civilian object was allegedly intentional — "for the convenience of observing accuracy".
Experts note that this statement effectively became an admission that the missile is still in the testing phase, despite loud claims about launching serial production. At the same time, on June 12, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine warned of the threat of using 'Oreshnik' for new strikes on Ukrainian territory.