Oreshnik missile

Japan is reportedly considering whether to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, according to The Japan Times, while in Russia attention is on the Bulava ballistic missile, said to surpass the Oreshnik in the number of hypersonic warheads it can carry. Both stories keep submarines and naval weapons at the centre of defence discussions in the region.

A Russian member of parliament has claimed that Ukraine is deliberately trying to provoke a strike by Russia's Oreshnik missile or a nuclear attack, apparently to draw NATO into the conflict or justify Western escalation. The allegation, reported in Russian media, comes amid ongoing tensions over long-range strikes and nuclear rhetoric in the war. There is no independent confirmation of the claim.