Vladimir Putin has boldly launched the Oreshnik missile, capable of reaching speeds of 8,000mph and carrying nuclear capabilities, in an attack on Ukraine, with one missile striking just a few miles from a NATO member’s territory.
Reports from Ukrainian officials indicate that four individuals lost their lives and at least 22 others were injured during the overnight assault on Kyiv. While Russian authorities have remained silent on the missile’s precise impact location, sources from within the country suggest that some missiles may have targeted a significant underground natural gas storage facility in the Lviv region, adjacent to Poland.
The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the attack was in retaliation for what Moscow claims was a drone strike by Ukraine on President Putin’s official residence the previous month. However, both Ukraine and US President Donald Trump have refuted this assertion.
Andriy Sadoviy, the mayor of Lviv, disclosed that Russia had struck critical infrastructure with a ballistic missile, although specific details were not provided. He mentioned that the missile traveled at speeds exceeding 8,000 miles per hour, and investigations were ongoing to determine the exact type of rocket used.
The Oreshnik missile was initially tested by Russia in November 2024, targeting a Ukrainian factory. President Putin has boasted that the Oreshnik’s multiple warheads descend at speeds of up to Mach 10, making interception impossible. Moreover, he claimed that a conventional strike employing several Oreshnik missiles could be as devastating as a nuclear assault, as the missile has the capacity to carry nuclear warheads.
Following the strike on Ukraine’s capital, which resulted in casualties including an emergency medical aid worker, Kyiv city military administration head Tymur Tkachenko reported that five rescue workers sustained injuries while responding to ongoing attacks. Several incidents were recorded, such as a drone crashing onto the roof of a multi-story building in the Desnyanskyi district and damage to residential buildings in the area.
In the Dnipro district, a drone caused damage to a multi-story building, leading to a fire. The attack also disrupted essential services in Kyiv, with the mayor, Vitali Klitschko, mentioning interruptions to running water and electricity in parts of the city.
The assault occurred shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned the nation about Russia’s plans for a large-scale offensive, taking advantage of the freezing weather conditions in the capital, which had made roads and streets dangerously icy.