A chilling new weapon entered the conflict Friday as Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed the use of the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile in a devastating strike against Ukraine. The attack unleashed a wave of destruction, leaving a trail of loss and injury in its wake.
Ukrainian authorities report a grim toll: four civilians killed and at least twenty-two wounded. The assault, Russia claims, was a direct response to an alleged Ukrainian drone strike targeting the residence of President Vladimir Putin last month – a claim fiercely contested by both Ukraine and former President Donald Trump.
The attack unfolded with terrifying speed, just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned the nation of an impending large-scale Russian offensive. He specifically cautioned that Russia would exploit the brutal, frigid weather gripping the capital, turning icy roads into treacherous obstacles.
The Oreshnik missile itself is a force to be reckoned with, traveling at an astonishing velocity exceeding 8,000 miles per hour, according to Ukraine’s Air Force Western Command. This incredible speed leaves little time for reaction or defense.
Kyiv bore the brunt of the assault, with multiple districts impacted. Among the casualties was a dedicated emergency medical aid worker, a stark reminder of the human cost of the conflict, as reported by Kyiv City Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko.
The danger didn’t end with the initial strikes. Five rescue workers were injured while bravely responding to ongoing attacks, putting their own lives at risk to aid others. The scene was one of chaos and relentless danger.
A drone impact on a multistory building in the Desnyanskyi district added to the devastation, causing significant damage to the first two floors of a nearby residential building. The attack left a landscape of shattered glass and broken lives.
Essential services were immediately disrupted across parts of Kyiv. Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed widespread outages of running water and electricity, plunging residents into further hardship during the freezing temperatures.
The assault wasn’t limited to Kyiv. The western city of Lviv also came under fire, targeted by a barrage of ground- and sea-launched missiles aimed at Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, according to its mayor, Andriy Sadoviy.
The scale and intensity of the attack signal a dangerous escalation in the conflict, raising fears of a prolonged and increasingly brutal struggle as winter tightens its grip on the region.
