Ukraine has confirmed that Russia used its new Oreshnik hypersonic missile during a large-scale overnight strike on Kyiv, part of a wider barrage involving hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles across the country. Ukrainian officials reported at least one to four fatalities in the capital and more than 20 injured as residential buildings, schools, and other civilian infrastructure were hit.
The Oreshnik, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously claimed can reach speeds of Mach 10 and evade existing missile defenses, was used only for the second time in the conflict, according to Ukrainian and Russian accounts. Russia’s Defense Ministry framed the strike as retaliation for a reported Ukrainian drone attack on a college dormitory in Russian-occupied Luhansk, which Moscow said killed more than a dozen people.
Ukrainian services described the use of the hypersonic system as a war crime, noting its multi-warhead design and potential for extensive damage. Russian channels suggested the missile was aimed at strategic infrastructure, including a major underground gas storage site, while Kyiv authorities focused on the visible impact on the city: fires, widespread damage, disrupted utilities, and extensive air-defense activity over the capital’s airspace.