In a significant and dangerous escalation of its aerial assault, Russia has deployed one of its most advanced and rarely used weapons against Ukraine. For only the second time since the war began, Moscow launched a nuclear-capable hypersonic Oreshnik missile, striking the western region of Lviv overnight. The attack, which occurred near Ukraine's border with NATO member Poland, was part of a massive nationwide barrage involving hundreds of drones and missiles.
A Major Escalation with Advanced Weaponry
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the use of the Oreshnik missile, a weapon first unveiled by President Vladimir Putin over a year ago in a strike on central Ukraine. That initial use was intended as a stark warning to the West against deeper involvement in the conflict. While the missile is designed to carry nuclear warheads, both its first use and this latest strike on Lviv were conducted with conventional, non-nuclear payloads.
Russian authorities stated this aggressive wave of attacks, including the hypersonic strike and a barrage targeting the capital Kyiv, was a direct response to what Moscow claims was a Ukrainian attempt to hit one of Putin's residences in late December. Both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. national-security officials have firmly denied these allegations.
Swift Strike and Widespread Damage
The speed of the hypersonic missile left little time for reaction. Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi described the terrifying moment, stating, "Everything happened extremely fast. Very powerful explosions rang out." He confirmed the attack damaged critical infrastructure in the region, though no casualties were reported from the Lviv strike.
The assault was not limited to the west. A separate, massive wave of 242 drones and 36 missiles hit the capital, Kyiv, and other areas. This coordinated attack resulted in tragic human cost and severe infrastructure damage across the country.
Humanitarian Crisis in Freezing Temperatures
The consequences of the nationwide attack are severe, particularly as Ukraine endures a harsh winter. Ukrainian officials reported that the strikes killed four people and injured more than 20 in Kyiv alone. The assault damaged at least 20 residential buildings and, most critically, crippled heating systems as temperatures plunged to around -11 degrees Celsius.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure with an "inhumane goal" to leave millions without light, heat, or water. By Friday morning, the scale of the disruption was immense. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal reported that approximately 500,000 residents were without power or water, with emergency repairs underway. In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated that half of the city's apartment buildings had lost heating.
In response to the hypersonic missile strike so close to NATO territory, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called it a "global threat" demanding "global responses." Ukraine announced it would initiate an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council to address the escalation. Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry maintained that its strikes successfully hit drone-production sites and energy infrastructure supporting the Ukrainian military effort.
