In a significant escalation, Russia has unleashed a vast missile and drone attack on Kyiv and its surrounding regions, employing its hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile for only the third time since the onset of the Ukraine conflict. This latest assault resulted in at least four fatalities and approximately 100 injuries, according to Ukrainian officials. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted that the attack targeted both Kyiv and the city of Bila Tserkva, leading to the devastation of residential structures, educational institutions, a water facility, government buildings, and a large market, with fires igniting across multiple districts.
The Ukrainian authorities reported that the overnight offensive involved nearly 600 drones and 90 missiles, including numerous ballistic ones. While a significant number were intercepted, several managed to strike central Kyiv, inflicting severe damage. Moscow confirmed the deployment of the Oreshnik missile alongside other advanced systems, asserting that the strikes aimed at Ukrainian military infrastructure were in retaliation for purported Ukrainian attacks within Russian-controlled territories.
Kyiv’s Mayor Vitali Klitschko noted that the capital witnessed damage across all districts, with emergency teams working tirelessly to rescue those trapped in shelters and extinguish fires caused by the explosions. The attacks also inflicted damage on Ukraine’s National Art Museum and parts of the foreign ministry building, which Ukrainian officials condemned as deliberate assaults on civilian and cultural sites.
Internationally, European leaders have strongly denounced the attack. French President Emmanuel Macron labeled the use of the Oreshnik missile a dangerous escalation, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz termed it reckless. The European Union accused Russia of employing terror tactics against civilians. The Oreshnik missile, introduced by Russia in late 2024, has the capability to carry either nuclear or conventional warheads and is believed to travel at hypersonic speeds. Though Russian President Vladimir Putin claims the missile is nearly impossible to intercept, western analysts have expressed skepticism regarding some of these claims.
This heightened aggression comes on the heels of Putin’s recent warnings of retaliation over alleged Ukrainian drone strikes in areas under Russian control, signifying a troubling intensification of the conflict.