In a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict, Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack on Kyiv and surrounding regions, utilizing its hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile for the third time in the conflict with Ukraine. The assault resulted in the death of at least four individuals and injuries to approximately 100 others, as reported by Ukrainian authorities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the missile strikes were directed at the capital, Kyiv, and the nearby city of Bila Tserkva. The barrage caused extensive damage to residential areas, schools, a water facility, government buildings, and a major market, with fires erupting in several districts. Ukraine’s defense forces reported that Russia deployed nearly 600 drones and 90 missiles in the overnight attack, including numerous ballistic missiles, many of which were intercepted. Nevertheless, several missiles reached central Kyiv, resulting in substantial devastation.
Moscow acknowledged the deployment of the Oreshnik missile alongside other sophisticated missile systems, claiming the attacks were aimed at Ukrainian military installations as a countermeasure to alleged Ukrainian incursions into Russian-controlled territories. Kyiv’s Mayor, Vitali Klitschko, noted that the damage was widespread across all districts of the capital, with emergency responders working tirelessly to rescue those trapped in shelters and extinguish fires ignited by the explosions.
The missile strikes also inflicted damage on Ukraine’s National Art Museum and parts of the foreign ministry building, actions which Ukrainian officials condemned as intentional assaults on civilian infrastructure and cultural sites. The international community reacted strongly, with European leaders denouncing the offensive. French President Emmanuel Macron criticized the deployment of the Oreshnik missile as a perilous escalation, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz labeled it as reckless. European Union representatives accused Russia of employing terror tactics against civilians.
The Oreshnik missile, introduced by Russia in late 2024, is known for its capability to carry either nuclear or conventional warheads and is reputed to travel at hypersonic speeds. Russian President Vladimir Putin has boasted about the missile’s near-impenetrability, though some Western analysts have cast doubt on these claims. This latest wave of attacks followed closely after Putin’s warning of retaliatory measures in response to alleged Ukrainian drone strikes in territories under Russian control.