Russia launched its advanced Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile against Ukraine overnight Friday in one of its largest aerial attacks since the war began, killing at least four people and leaving half of Kyiv's buildings without heating. The strike targeted critical infrastructure in the western city of Lviv, marking the first time the city was hit by a ballistic missile.
The Oreshnik is an intermediate-range ballistic missile that Russia claims can travel at speeds up to 13,000 kilometers per hour, roughly 10 times the speed of sound, making it virtually impossible to intercept with current air defense systems. This marks only the second time Moscow has deployed the weapon, after first using it against the city of Dnipro in November 2024.
Russia's Defense Ministry said the overnight barrage included a total of 36 missiles and 242 drones of various types, including 8 Iskander ballistic missiles and 10 Kalibr cruise missiles. Ukrainian intelligence confirmed the Oreshnik was fired from Russia's Kapustin Yar test range near the Caspian Sea and identified debris showing the missile carried six warheads, each containing six submunitions.
The attack drew immediate condemnation from Western leaders. The leaders of Britain, France, and Germany described Russia's use of the Oreshnik as escalatory and unacceptable during a joint call between Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and French President Emmanuel Macron. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated the strike demonstrates that Putin does not want peace and called it a clear escalation against Ukraine and meant as a warning to Europe and to the US.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed the attack was retaliation for what Moscow alleged was a Ukrainian drone strike on one of President Vladimir Putin's residences last month, a claim both U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine have rejected. Ukraine's Security Service announced it is treating the Oreshnik strike as a war crime.
The missile attack comes as diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year-long conflict continue. An agreement was reached this week for European troops to deploy after any ceasefire, but Russia rejected the plan on Thursday. Ukraine has called on its allies to increase pressure on Moscow, with Kyiv describing the use of the Oreshnik close to EU and NATO borders as a grave threat to European security.
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