Russia fired an Oreshnik hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile into western Ukraine near the Polish border during a wider overnight attack that also hit Kyiv. The strike drew sharp reactions from Ukraine and several European leaders, who described the missile use as escalatory and a warning aimed beyond Ukraine’s front lines.
The Russian Defense Ministry said it used the Oreshnik missile along with other weapons to hit targets linked to drone production and energy infrastructure in Ukraine. Russia said the attack was retaliation for what it described as an attempted Ukrainian drone attack on President Vladimir Putin’s residence, a claim Ukraine denied and that Trump also dismissed. CNN also reported US officials, including the CIA, assessed Ukraine was not targeting a location associated with Putin.
In Kyiv, separate drone and missile strikes killed four people, but reports differed on the number injured. Al Jazeera and CNN reported at least 22 people were injured in the capital, while Euronews reported 19 injured. Euronews also said paramedics were hit in a “double-tap” strike while assisting the injured.
Attack near EU and NATO border
Ukrainian and international reporting placed the Oreshnik strike in western Ukraine’s Lviv region, close to Poland, an EU and NATO member. The New York Times reported explosions were noted near Lviv after Ukrainian military officials warned of a possible missile launch from Russia’s Kapustin Yar facility. Ukraine’s Air Force Western Command was cited saying the missile that targeted the west traveled at about 13,000 kilometers per hour.
Local Ukrainian officials said critical infrastructure in Lviv was hit, while the specific facility was not detailed in some accounts. Euronews reported Zelenskyy said Russia’s primary targets were civil infrastructure and energy facilities, and it also reported that a Qatari embassy building was damaged by a Russian drone. DW reported Ukraine’s security service released images of what it said were fragments of an Oreshnik missile found in the western Lviv region.
What the Oreshnik missile is
Reuters described the Oreshnik as an intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile, and said its name means “Hazel Tree.” CNN described Oreshnik as a missile capable of carrying multiple warheads and said it can be equipped with conventional or nuclear payloads. The New York Times also reported the missile is nuclear-capable and described it as an intermediate-range system with multiple warheads that separate during flight.
Al Jazeera reported the Oreshnik is believed to have a range of 1,000 to 1,600 kilometers and said Russia has claimed the missile is very hard to intercept because of its speed. Euronews and Al Jazeera both reported the missile’s speed was described as more than 10 times the speed of sound, and Euronews linked the 13,000 km/h figure to Ukraine’s Air Force Western Command. CNN described a flight profile that rises out of the atmosphere and then descends sharply, which it said makes interception difficult for Ukraine’s air defenses.
The New York Times reported the Pentagon said the Oreshnik is based on the RS-26 Rubezh missile, modified for shorter ranges. Al Jazeera similarly reported that in 2024 the Pentagon said Oreshnik was derived from the RS-26 system.
Prior uses and the message behind it
Multiple outlets reported this was the second time Russia has used the Oreshnik missile during the war, and described the weapon’s use as highly symbolic. The New York Times reported Russia first used the Oreshnik in November 2024 in a strike on central Ukraine, and said that earlier use caused minimal damage that suggested a symbolic deployment. Euronews also said the first confirmed use was a strike on Dnipro in November 2024.
Several reports framed the latest launch as a signal aimed at Western backers of Ukraine as diplomacy continues but fighting persists. The New York Times reported the strike location in western Ukraine near the Polish border appeared intended to send a message to Europe, which has strongly backed Kyiv. Al Jazeera reported analysts suggested the missile use was meant to intimidate Ukraine’s European and Western partners.
Ukraine’s calls for action
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the missile use near the EU and NATO border as a grave threat to European security, according to Euronews and Al Jazeera. Euronews reported Sybiha said Ukraine was initiating urgent meetings of the UN Security Council and the Ukraine-NATO Council, along with responses within European institutions including the EU and the OSCE. DW also reported Ukraine was seeking an emergency UN Security Council meeting and discussions with NATO and European institutions.
European leaders also condemned the missile use, with Al Jazeera reporting a UK government representative said the leaders of the UK, France, and Germany condemned it as escalatory and unacceptable during a call. CNN reported European allies condemned Russia’s action and that Ukrainian security officials characterized the attack as a war crime, citing missile wreckage found in Lviv as evidence. DW similarly reported Ukraine’s security service said it was treating the strike as a war crime.
