Russia conducted a large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine, deploying hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, including the Oreshnik ballistic missile. The assaults resulted in at least four fatalities and between 22 and 25 injuries in Kyiv. Critical infrastructure and residential buildings in Kyiv and the Lviv region were damaged. Russia's Defense Ministry stated the attack was in retaliation for a Ukrainian drone strike on a Russian presidential residence, a claim rejected by both Ukraine and the U.S.
Attack Overview
The extensive overnight assault occurred hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned the nation about Russia's intent for a large-scale offensive. Russia's Defense Ministry reported using its Oreshnik ballistic missile as part of this operation. The attack was characterized by Russia as a retaliatory measure for a Ukrainian drone strike on a presidential residence last month, a claim that both Ukraine and U.S. President Donald Trump have publicly rejected.
Deployment of Oreshnik Ballistic Missile
This event marked the second reported instance of Russia using the Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile in the conflict. While Russia did not specify the missile's target, Russian media and military bloggers indicated it struck an underground natural gas storage facility in Ukraine's western Lviv region. Conversely, Ukrainian Security Service investigators stated that missile debris found in the Lviv region targeted civilian infrastructure and was fired from Russia's Kapustin Yar test range. Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadoviy confirmed a ballistic missile strike on critical infrastructure in the region, noting its speed was estimated at 13,000 kilometers per hour. The specific missile type was under investigation by local officials.
President Putin has described the Oreshnik missile as traveling at speeds up to Mach 10, possessing multiple warheads (potentially six, each with six submunitions), and being difficult to intercept or impervious to missile defense systems. Putin has also stated that a conventional strike using several Oreshnik missiles could be as devastating as a nuclear attack, and that the missile can carry nuclear weapons. The missile was reportedly first tested by Russia in November 2024 against a Ukrainian factory. Putin had previously warned Western allies that Russia might use the Oreshnik against them if Ukraine was allowed to strike inside Russia with longer-range missiles.
Impact and Casualties
In Kyiv, at least four fatalities were reported, including an emergency medical aid worker. Injuries were reported for five rescue workers, four doctors, and one police officer. Several Kyiv districts were affected, with specific incidents including:
- A drone crashing onto a multi-story building's roof in the Desnyanskyi district, where residential buildings also sustained damage to their first two floors.
- In the Dnipro district, parts of a drone damaged a multi-story building, leading to a fire.
- The Qatari Embassy in Kyiv also sustained damage.
Infrastructure disruptions were widespread in the capital. Approximately 6,000 apartment buildings, representing about half of Kyiv's total, experienced heat outages amidst temperatures of approximately minus 8 degrees Celsius (17.6 Fahrenheit). Water and electricity supplies were also disrupted in parts of the capital.
International Reactions and Diplomatic Context
European leaders condemned the attack, describing it as "escalatory and unacceptable." The European Union's top foreign policy envoy remarked that Russia's actions included "more missiles and destruction" in response to diplomacy. UK Defense Secretary John Healey, who was visiting Kyiv, noted that Russian drones targeted residential areas.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for a "clear response" from the international community, particularly from the U.S. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced plans for international action, including urgent meetings of the U.N. Security Council and the Ukraine-NATO Council. Pope Leo XIV, speaking at the Vatican, urged the international community to continue efforts for peace and to end suffering in Ukraine.
These attacks occurred amid reports of significant progress towards a U.S.-led peace agreement focused on defending Ukraine. They also coincided with a deterioration in relations between Moscow and Washington, following Russia's condemnation of a U.S. seizure of an oil tanker and U.S. President Donald Trump's support for sanctions against Moscow.