Russia fired a hypersonic Oreshnik missile at a target in western Ukraine near the European Union and NATO frontier, drawing fresh attention to a weapon Russia has used only rarely in the war.
The strike and the messaging around it quickly triggered warnings from Ukrainian officials about wider European security risks, while Russian and Ukrainian statements described the target and purpose in different ways.
Strike reported near western border
Ukraine’s SBU security service released images of what it said were fragments of an Oreshnik missile after an overnight strike in the western Lviv region. The SBU said the debris included parts it described as the missile’s stabilization and guidance unit, engine components, and nozzles.
Ukrainian media earlier reported that the hypersonic missile hit an unspecified location near Lviv. Nationwide missile alerts were issued across Ukraine during the attack.
CNN reported that the Oreshnik was fired at a target in western Ukraine close to the border with NATO member Poland. CNN described the launch as a bold “warning” aimed not only at Europe but also at the United States.
Damage claims and target descriptions
Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said critical infrastructure in the western city of Lviv was damaged in a Russian attack and that rescue services were working to put out a fire. The SBU said Russia targeted civilian infrastructure near the EU border and described the strike as an attempt to disrupt “life-support systems” amid worsening weather conditions, without detailing specific targets or the extent of damage.
Russia said it hit “strategic objectives in Ukraine” with an Oreshnik hypersonic missile, though it did not provide further details. This was reported as the second time Russia has deployed the Oreshnik against Ukraine.
Ukraine calls for urgent response
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the strike as “a serious threat to European security and a challenge for the transatlantic community.” He said Kyiv was initiating urgent meetings of the U.N. Security Council and the Ukraine-NATO Council, along with discussions involving European institutions.
Ukraine also pushed for tighter measures aimed at Russia’s oil revenues and tanker fleet as part of efforts to limit Moscow’s ability to fund the war. Ukraine was also reported as treating the strike as a war crime.
Russia’s stated reason for firing
Russia said it fired the Oreshnik missile in response to what it called an attempted drone attack on one of President Vladimir Putin’s residences last month.
What the Oreshnik missile is
The Oreshnik is notable for its ability to release multiple independent warheads from the main missile. It can deploy up to six MIRVs (Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicles), and each can potentially carry multiple munitions that can be guided toward different targets.
The missile’s flight profile involves rising out of the atmosphere and then descending sharply, which is described as making interception difficult for Ukraine’s air defenses. It has been used with conventional explosives so far, while coming from a class of missiles whose design is associated with nuclear payloads.
The name “Oreshnik” translates to “Hazel Tree,” and the name has been linked to the visual effect of warheads descending as fiery streaks. The first missile fired was also reported as being referred to by Ukrainians as “Kedr,” meaning “Cedar.”
Earlier use and nuclear-capable framing
When Moscow first fired the Oreshnik in 2024, Putin promoted it as a new development in Russia’s arms arsenal. The missile’s first known use was reported as November 2024, when Russia fired an Oreshnik at a military facility in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
Russia has described the Oreshnik as nuclear-capable. The missile has also been described as able to be equipped with either conventional or nuclear payloads.
Competing narratives and the broader signal
While Ukraine’s security service emphasized what it described as an attack on civilian infrastructure near the EU border, Russia said it struck “strategic objectives,” highlighting a difference in how each side characterized the same event. CNN framed the launch as a message aimed beyond Ukraine, calling it a warning to Europe and the United States.
Ukrainian officials tied the strike to wider regional security, with Sybiha calling it a serious threat to European security and urging urgent international action through multiple forums. Taken together, the reporting shows the Oreshnik strike being presented not only as a battlefield event but also as a high-profile signal near Europe’s borders.
