WEB DESK: Last night, Russia launched a large-scale offensive targeting multiple locations across Ukraine, deploying drones, conventional missiles, and the sophisticated Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile.
Ukrainian authorities reported intense explosions lasting several hours in Kyiv, resulting in at least four deaths and injuring 25 people. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that the strikes were a retaliatory measure following a purported Ukrainian drone attack at the end of December that allegedly targeted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence. Although Moscow has not officially identified the specific target of the Oreshnik missile, social media footage circulating just before midnight captured multiple blasts on the outskirts of Lviv, a city in western Ukraine.
This incident marks the second instance of Russia using the Oreshnik missile in the ongoing conflict. The previous deployment occurred in November 2024 when the missile was used against the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and officials confirmed that certain facilities in Lviv were struck by ballistic missiles. The city lies roughly 60 kilometers from the Polish border.
The Oreshnik missile is a medium-range hypersonic weapon capable of reaching targets approximately 5,000 kilometers away. Military analysts explain that its warhead fragments into multiple pieces in the final phase, causing a series of explosions across different locations.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister expressed concern that attacks in proximity to the EU and NATO borders represent a grave threat to European security.
