Ukraine woke on Friday to the aftermath of one of Russia’s most intense attacks in months, a barrage that combined dozens of drones, cruise missiles and, for the first time in western Ukraine, Moscow’s highly publicised hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile.
In a dramatic escalation, Russia struck Ukraine’s Lviv region with the intermediate-range ballistic missile, while a separate overnight assault on Kyiv killed four people and injured 19, including paramedics caught in a deadly “double-tap” strike as they rushed to help the wounded.
Hypersonic Oreshnik used in western Ukraine
Russia deployed its advanced Oreshnik missile, one of its newest and most heavily promoted weapons, to target critical infrastructure in Lviv, according to the city’s mayor, Andriy Sadovyi.
The missile, whose name translates from Russian as “hazelnut tree”, is capable of carrying nuclear payloads and is designed to strike targets at significantly longer ranges than conventional ballistic missiles.
Ukraine’s Air Force Western Command said the Oreshnik missile that hit the western city travelled at a staggering speed of 13,000 kilometres per hour.
The first confirmed use of the Oreshnik missile was recorded in November 2024, when Russia used it to strike the city of Dnipro. Moscow has since openly acknowledged deploying the weapon against Ukraine.
The Kremlin claimed Friday’s IRBM strike was carried out in response to an alleged Ukrainian attempt to attack Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence last month, a claim strongly denied by both Ukraine and the United States.
US officials said the CIA assessed that Ukraine did not target Putin’s residence, while US President Donald Trump also stated that the attack did not take place.
Kyiv hit by deadly ‘double-tap’ strike
As western Ukraine came under fire, Russia also launched a massive missile and drone assault on Kyiv overnight into Friday.
Four people were killed and 19 injured in the capital, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed. Among the dead was a paramedic killed in a so-called double-tap attack, a tactic in which rescuers are deliberately targeted after an initial strike.
“One paramedic died, and four were injured while assisting people in the Darnytskyi district,” Klitschko said.
Multiple neighbourhoods across Kyiv were affected. Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, said residential buildings suffered significant damage.
In the Desnyanskyi district, a drone crashed onto the roof of a multi-storey building, while the first two floors of another residential block in the same area were damaged. In the Dnipro district, falling drone debris sparked a fire after hitting a high-rise building.
The attacks also disrupted running water and electricity supplies in parts of the capital, Klitschko added.
Scale of the overnight assault
According to Ukrainian officials, Russia launched a total of 36 missiles and 242 drones of various types during the overnight attack. The missile arsenal included eight Iskander ballistic missiles and 10 Kalibr cruise missiles.
Ukraine’s air force had earlier warned of a ballistic missile threat and reported drones heading towards Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had also warned the public on Thursday evening that Russia was preparing a large-scale offensive.
He said Moscow appeared to be exploiting freezing conditions in the capital, with icy and slippery roads making movement and emergency responses more difficult. Zelenskyy urged residents to seek shelter immediately when air raid alerts were issued.
‘Peace signals’ under scrutiny
The attacks came as the United States continued efforts to push for an end to Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said Russia’s primary targets remained Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and energy facilities, but confirmed that a Russian drone also damaged the Qatari embassy building in Kyiv.
“Qatar is a country that is doing so much to mediate with Russia to free prisoners of war and civilians held in Russian prisons,” Zelenskyy said.
He called for “a clear response from the world”, particularly from the US, warning that Russia must face consequences each time it prioritises violence over diplomacy.
The Ukrainian president described the latest strikes as a “loud reminder” to Kyiv’s partners that strengthening Ukraine’s air defence remains an urgent and constant priority.
“We cannot afford to lose a single day in supply, production or negotiations,” he said.
Diplomatic response and European security concerns
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced that Kyiv is initiating urgent meetings of the UN Security Council, the Ukraine–NATO Council, and seeking responses within the EU, the Council of Europe and the OSCE.
“Such a strike close to the EU and NATO border is a grave threat to the security on the European continent and a test for the transatlantic community,” he said.
Meanwhile, Moscow rejected the conclusions of Thursday’s “Coalition of the Willing” meeting in Paris, which discussed security guarantees for Ukraine. Russia warned European nations considering deploying forces to Ukraine after a ceasefire and peace agreement that such troops would be viewed as “legitimate targets”.
Russia’s foreign ministry said the meeting’s statements were “far from anything Russia could possibly accept”.
