Russia carried out attacks on multiple locations in Ukraine last night, using numerous drones and missiles, including the Oreshnik ballistic missile.
According to Ukrainian authorities, loud explosions were heard for several hours on Thursday night in the capital, Kyiv. As a result of the attack, at least four people were killed and 25 injured.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense said the attack was carried out in response to an alleged Ukrainian drone strike at the end of December that targeted the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Although the Russian Ministry of Defense did not clarify the specific target of the Oreshnik missile, videos appeared on social media shortly before midnight local time showing multiple explosions on the outskirts of the western city of Lviv.
This is the second time Moscow has used the Oreshnik missile. Previously, in November 2024, the missile was used to strike the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other officials confirmed that some installations in Lviv were targeted with a ballistic missile. The city is located approximately 60 kilometers from the Polish border.
The Oreshnik is a medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile that can reportedly strike targets up to about 5,500 kilometers away. According to experts, the missile’s warhead splits into multiple parts in its final phase, which fall on different targets and cause several explosions at short intervals.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister said that an attack of this nature so close to the borders of the European Union and NATO poses a serious threat to the security of the European continent.
