Russia Launches New Hypersonic Missile in Major Ukraine Strike, Kremlin Reports

Russia deployed its advanced hypersonic Oreshnik missile against Ukraine on Friday, marking only the second use of this weapon that Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed is impossible to intercept due to its velocity, according to multiple reports.

The Russian Defense Ministry stated the strike was retaliation for an alleged Ukrainian drone attack on one of Putin’s residences on December 29, though Kyiv has firmly denied any such operation. Both Ukraine and the United States have expressed skepticism about Russia’s claims, with Ukrainian officials calling it “an absurd lie” and President Donald Trump publicly doubting the veracity of the allegation, suggesting that “something” unrelated may have happened nearby.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Friday’s assault targeted critical infrastructure across Ukraine using a combination of the Oreshnik missile, attack drones, and high-precision long-range weapons launched from land and sea. While Moscow did not specify the exact target location, Russian media and military bloggers reported that the missile struck an underground natural gas storage facility in Ukraine’s western Lviv region.

The attack comes during a significant cold spell in Ukraine, raising concerns about the humanitarian impact as temperatures drop across the region. Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadoviy confirmed that critical infrastructure had been damaged but did not provide specific details.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the aftermath of the attack on social media, reporting extensive destruction that included damage to at least 20 residential buildings. “Unfortunately, as of now, it is known that four people have been killed in the capital alone. Among them is an ambulance crew member,” Zelenskyy stated, offering condolences to the victims’ families.

Zelenskyy described the scale of the assault as massive, involving 242 drones, 13 ballistic missiles, one Oreshnik missile, and 22 cruise missiles. He emphasized that the ballistic missiles specifically targeted energy facilities and civilian infrastructure at a time when Ukrainians face harsh winter conditions. “This attack was aimed precisely against the normal life of ordinary people,” he said, while assuring that emergency crews were working to restore heating and electricity services.

The Ukrainian leader also noted that a building belonging to the Embassy of Qatar had been damaged in the attack, potentially raising diplomatic concerns.

The Oreshnik represents a significant advancement in Russia’s weapons arsenal. It is an intermediate-range hypersonic missile that Putin has touted as uninterceptable due to its extreme speed. The deployment of such advanced weaponry signals a potential escalation in Russia’s approach to the conflict, which is approaching its fourth year.

In his response to the attack, Zelenskyy called for a clear international reaction, particularly from the United States. “Russia must receive signals that it is its obligation to focus on diplomacy, and must feel consequences every time it again focuses on killings and the destruction of infrastructure,” he stated.

A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the United States remains committed to ending the war through diplomatic means, emphasizing that diplomacy represents the only path toward a durable peace. The spokesperson highlighted President Trump’s desire to end the conflict, which has now dragged on for nearly four years with devastating consequences for both countries.

As recovery operations continue across multiple regions of Ukraine, authorities are still assessing the full extent of damage to critical infrastructure and civilian areas from this latest large-scale Russian attack.