Russia launched a hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile at Ukraine overnight on Thursday, marking a rare use of one of Moscow’s most advanced weapons as attacks intensified amid harsh winter conditions.
This was the first known use of the Oreshnik missile in over a year. The system is designed to carry multiple warheads and can be equipped with either conventional or nuclear payloads.
In a statement released on Friday, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said its forces carried out a “large-scale strike using high-precision long-range weapons,” including land- and sea-based systems as well as the Oreshnik mobile medium-range missile platform.
While Russian officials did not disclose the specific target, Ukrainian authorities reported explosions and confirmed that a ballistic missile struck a critical infrastructure facility in the western city of Lviv.
Ukraine’s Air Force said the missile traveled at an estimated speed of about 13,000 kilometers per hour along a ballistic path, noting that its exact classification would be confirmed after analysis of recovered debris. The speed is roughly ten times faster than sound, and Russian officials have previously claimed the missile’s range is sufficient to reach much of Europe.
The Oreshnik missile was first used in November 2024, when it struck the city of Dnipro, despite the system still being under development at the time. Last month, Russia also released footage showing what it described as the deployment of the missile system in Belarus, a key ally.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister warned that the strike, carried out close to the borders of the European Union and NATO, represented a significant threat to European security and urged a strong international response.
Russia said the latest attacks were carried out in response to what it claimed was a Ukrainian attempt to target Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence last month. US officials disputed the claim, stating that Ukraine was not aiming at any residence linked to Putin.
The missile strike was part of a wider overnight assault involving dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones. Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 36 missiles and 242 drones during the attack.
In Kyiv, drone strikes began shortly after midnight, hitting residential neighborhoods and damaging key infrastructure. Large areas of the city lost power as temperatures fell to minus five degrees Celsius. Authorities reported four fatalities and at least 10 injuries.
In Lviv, officials said there were no casualties from the missile strike, adding that residential buildings and civilian areas were not damaged.
Russia has increased attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in recent weeks, a tactic previously used during winter months. These strikes have left tens of thousands without electricity or heating in freezing conditions. Ukraine’s president said the aim is to disrupt daily life and exert psychological pressure on civilians.
The escalation comes as tensions continue to rise between Russia and Western nations. Moscow recently warned that any Western troops deployed to Ukraine under a future peace agreement would be considered legitimate military targets, following commitments by the UK and France to send forces if a deal is reached.
Relations have also been strained by the recent seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker by US forces in the Atlantic. Russia condemned the action as a violation of international maritime law, while the United States said the vessel was sanctioned for transporting illicit oil.
The Kremlin has not yet publicly commented on the tanker seizure or the wider diplomatic implications of the latest developments.