Russians baffled by 'Oreshnik' name for St. Petersburg amusement ride

An amusement park ride in St. Petersburg, Russia, has sparked public debate with its name, "Oreshnik." The rocket-shaped attraction lifts visitors high before a sudden drop, but the name itself has drawn criticism from some park-goers.

"I don't think it's suitable. The best name would be simply 'Rocket' ... I don't understand what it has to do with 'Oreshnik.' Who came up with such a name?" one woman commented. Another visitor stated, "A children's attraction should have a child-friendly name – that's my personal opinion."

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I don't think it's suitable. The best name would be simply 'Rocket' ... I don't understand what it has to do with 'Oreshnik.' Who came up with such a name?

The name "Oreshnik" is also the designation for a Russian medium-range ballistic missile, capable of striking targets up to approximately 5,000 kilometers away. Russia first used the missile against Ukraine in 2024 and most recently last month. President Vladimir Putin has asserted that the "Oreshnik" is impossible to intercept, a claim that Western experts question. Putin recently stated that Russia had not yet used the missile in Ukraine "in the literal sense of combat operations," but rather to gather data for future attacks.

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A children's attraction should have a child-friendly name – that's my personal opinion.