Moscow claims it hit Ukraine with Oreshnik hypersonic missile. This was reported by sources from the Russian Ministry of Defense. Russia struck “strategic targets” in Ukraine overnight using the Oreshnik hypersonic missile, the Russian Defense Ministry announced in a statement.
Moscow’s version of the night attacks
The attacks, the exact number and targets of which were not specified, were carried out “in response to the terrorist attack perpetrated by the Kiev regime” against Vladimir Putin’s residence in late December, which Ukraine claims was a “lie”.
The budget in Kiev and the damage to infrastructure
Meanwhile, the death toll from the Russian night attacks on Kiev has risen to 4 dead and 24 injured. This was reported by the police of the Ukrainian capital. Electricity supplier Dtek reported that 417,000 homes were left without power due to Russian airstrikes and severe weather conditions.
Buildings hit and Zelensky’s complaint
About 40 structures in Kiev were hit by Russian airstrikes, including 20 residential buildings and the Qatari embassy in the capital, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Missiles and drones: the numbers of the attack
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched a total of 36 missiles and 242 drones overnight, and Kiev’s anti-aircraft gun shot down 18 missiles and 226 drones, respectively. Moscow said it had struck “strategic targets” in Ukraine, and that it had used a latest generation Oreshnik missile, which can carry a nuclear warhead and reach a speed of around 13,000 kilometers per hour.
The response to the attack on Putin’s residence
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, these attacks were carried out “in response to the terrorist attack perpetrated by the Kiev regime” against Vladimir Putin’s residence at the end of December, an attack that Ukraine and its allies consider a “lie” and was also denied by the CIA, according to which the Ukrainian drones were directed towards another target.
Kiev’s concerns for European security
“The attack occurred just as a significant cold wave hit the country,” said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga, “such an attack near the border between the European Union and NATO represents a serious threat to the security of the European continent and a test for the transatlantic alliance.” The Russian Oreshnik missile was used for the first time in 2024 against an arms factory located in the city of Dnipro, and was deployed in mid-December in Belarus, i.e. on the doorstep of the EU.
What is the Oreshnik hypersonic missile
The Oreshnik (‘nut), the Russian weapon used last night in bombing Ukraine, is a hypersonic ballistic missile with multiple warheads. It is classified as a medium-range missile, as it can cover distances from 1,000 to 5,500 kilometers.
Speed, warheads and destructive capacity
Thanks to the use of solid fuel, along the trajectory it manages to develop a speed of Mach 10 (2.5-3 kilometers per second). It can be armed with both nuclear and conventional warheads.
The latter, according to available information, are capable of generating temperatures of 4,000 degrees Celsius.
Putin’s statements and the confrontation with nuclear weapons
According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, if these missiles were used en masse against a single target, even with conventional warheads, the explosive power would be comparable to that of a nuclear weapon.
A mobile system that is difficult to intercept
The speed and direction of the Oreshnik, as a ballistic missile and not a cruise missile, are determined during the thrust phase.
The eponymous weapon system, which allows its launch, is a mobile missile complex, which makes attacks less predictable.
Production and displacement in Belarus
Although it officially entered service at the end of 2025, it has already been used for combat missions in November 2024, on an experimental basis.
Putin announced the start of series production in November 2025. A month later the Russian president announced the deployment of some Oreshnik systems in Belarus, implementing an agreement made with Belarusian president Aleksandr Lukashenko as early as December 2024.