Russia Uses Oreshnik Missile in Overnight Ukraine Attack
Russia carried out overnight strikes on multiple locations across Ukraine, using drones, cruise missiles, and the Oreshnik ballistic missile, Ukrainian officials said.
Authorities reported that loud explosions were heard for several hours in the capital, Kyiv, late Thursday night. At least four people were killed and 25 others injured in the attacks.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense said the strikes were launched in response to what it described as a Ukrainian drone attack late last month that allegedly targeted the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The ministry did not specify the exact target of the Oreshnik missile.
However, shortly before midnight local time, videos circulated on social media showing multiple explosions near the outskirts of the western city of Lviv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other officials confirmed that facilities in the Lviv area were hit by a ballistic missile. Lviv is located about 60 kilometers from the Polish border.
This marks the second reported use of the Oreshnik missile by Moscow. The first occurred in November 2024, when the missile was used to strike the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
The Oreshnik is a medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile with an estimated range of up to 5,500 kilometers. Military analysts say its warhead separates into multiple components during the final phase, striking different targets and causing successive explosions.
Ukraine’s foreign minister warned that the use of such a weapon near the borders of the European Union and NATO poses a serious threat to European security.
