Vladimir Putin has boldly deployed the Oreshnik missile, capable of reaching speeds up to 8,000mph and carrying nuclear warheads, in an attack on Ukraine, with one landing near a NATO member’s territory.
Following the overnight assault on Kyiv, Ukrainian authorities reported four fatalities and at least 22 injuries. While Russian officials remained silent on the missile’s precise impact, military sources and media in Ukraine suggested that some missiles targeted a significant underground natural gas storage facility near the Polish border in the Lviv region.
The Russian Defence Ministry claimed that the attack was in retaliation for a supposed Ukrainian drone strike on President Putin’s residence the previous month. However, both Ukraine and former US President Donald Trump have refuted these allegations.
The Mayor of Lviv, Andriy Sadoviy, disclosed that Russia had struck critical infrastructure with a ballistic missile, emphasizing the missile’s high speed of over 8,000 miles per hour. The specific type of rocket used in the attack is currently under investigation.
The Oreshnik missile was initially tested by Russia in November 2024, targeting a Ukrainian factory. Putin has boasted about Oreshnik’s devastating capabilities, boasting that its multiple warheads at speeds of up to Mach 10 are nearly impossible to intercept, with the potential to cause devastation comparable to a nuclear strike. Oreshnik also has the capacity to carry nuclear payloads.
In response to the strike on Kyiv, which resulted in casualties, including an emergency medical worker, the Russian leader has cautioned Western nations that Russia may employ the Oreshnik against allies of Ukraine who permit attacks on Russia using their long-range missiles.
Immediately following the attack, rescue workers in Ukraine were injured while responding to the ongoing assaults. Damage was reported in various districts, with a drone crashing into a building in the Desnyanskyi district and causing structural damage in another residential area.
In the aftermath of the attack, disruptions to essential services such as running water and electricity were reported in parts of Kyiv. Mayor Vitali Klitschko highlighted the impact of the assault on the city’s infrastructure.
The assault occurred shortly after Ukrainian President Zelenskyy warned the nation about Russia’s plans for a large-scale offensive, taking advantage of the freezing weather conditions in the capital, which posed additional risks due to icy roads and streets.