Russia struck a target in the Ukrainian city of Lviv overnight with its powerful Oreshnik hypersonic missile, just 40 miles from the border with NATO-member Poland.
It is only the second time Russia has used the weapon in Ukraine and the first time since 2024. Ukraine’s military has reported the missile reaching speeds of more than 8,000mph.
Moscow claimed the use of the weapon was in retaliation for the alleged targeting of one of Putin’s residences by Ukraine, a claim that has been dismissed by US President Donald Trump, and Ukraine.
Kyiv’s European allies described the use of the hypersonic missile as an attempt to intimidate them from supporting Ukraine.
The attack came after a week of setbacks for Russia: including the capture of Venezuela’s deposed leader, and Putin ally Nicolas Maduro and US forces boarding a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the north Atlantic.
Britain and France also announced plans this week to deploy troops in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. Moscow responded saying it would view foreign soldiers in Ukraine as legitimate combat targets.
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Russia is frustrated at having been sidelined during weeks of diplomacy over Ukraine between the US and European countries and the strike should be seen as “a signal to the US and the Europeans about the military capabilities of the Russian army,” Gerhard Mangott, a Russia specialist at the University of Innsbruck told Reuters.
A senior Ukrainian official said that the missile, which can carry nuclear as well as conventional warheads, struck a state enterprise and was likely to have been carrying a “dummy” warhead – as in 2024 when Russia first fired it to test the weapon in war.
The Oreshnik hypersonic missile was one of 36 missiles and 242 drones that Russia launched against infrastructure in the western Lviv region, Kyiv and the surrounding area on Thursday night.
Authorities said more than 20 people were injured in the capital and electricity was knocked out to more than half a million homes amid heavy snow and temperatures of around -10°C.
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Qatar’s embassy was also damaged in the strike, but the country stated no one was hurt in the incident.
The country has occasionally acted as a mediator in the conflict.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey is in Ukraine today and has held meetings with President Zelenskyy.
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Zelenskyy wrote on social media after talks: “We know which partners have the relevant missiles and equipment, and I am sincerely grateful to the United Kingdom for its readiness to help.”
He added: “Moscow is trying to use cold weather as a tool of terror, which is why work on additional air defence capabilities for Ukraine is now an urgent priority.”
