** NEW MERCH ** Jackets & Sweatshirts, Thermo Mugs!! Daniel Davis Deep Dive Merch: Etsy store https://www.etsy.com/shop/DanielDavisDeepDive?ref=seller-platform-mcnav On January 9, Russia fired the Arnik (also referred to as Orchnik) missile for the second time in an operational strike, hitting western Ukraine near Lviv. Vladimir Putin claimed the missile is impossible to intercept, both at launch and during flight. MIT professor Ted Postol largely agrees with that assessment. Based on its trajectory and speed, the missile burns out in roughly 60–70 seconds and reaches speeds of about 3.6–3.7 km/s (hypersonic) at high altitude. Western missile defenses would have no realistic chance to intercept it unless interceptors were positioned extremely close to the launch site and launched almost instantly—capabilities that do not exist. Once the missile is airborne, interception is essentially impossible, especially before it separates into multiple warheads. Postol emphasizes that intercepting after separation is infeasible, meaning the only theoretical defense would be destroying the missile before or immediately after launch, which is not practical in real-world conditions. Regarding warhead effects, Postol strongly disputes Russian claims that the conventional version of the missile can penetrate deeply underground and cause destruction comparable to a nuclear weapon. He explains that at hypersonic impact speeds, physics works against penetration: the warhead compresses and disintegrates on impact rather than burrowing deeply. This effect applies regardless of material, including very dense materials like depleted uranium—the limiting factor is the speed of sound within the material, not density. Bottom line: The missile is effectively unstoppable once launched. Claims of nuclear-like destructive power from conventional warheads are exaggerated and not supported by physics. The missile’s main significance is strategic and political, not revolutionary in terms of conventional destructive capability.