Russia Hits Ukraine With Oreshnik Missile That Travels At 10 Times Speed Of Sound

Russia attacked Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight on Friday, officials said. The onslaught killed at least four people and injured 25 others in Kyiv. According to the Russian defence ministry, the attack was carried out as a response to Ukraine's strike on Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence, which US President Donald Trump said never happened and which Kyiv denies carrying out.

"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," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said. He said that the Russians attacked "in response to [Putin's] own hallucinations".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that 13 ballistic missiles, 22 cruise missiles and 242 drones were involved in the attack apart from the Oreshnik missile. The attack damaged the Qatari Embassy in Kyiv, he said, noting that Qatar has played a key role in mediating the exchange of prisoners of war.

Russia fires Oreshnik hypersonic missile at Lviv, first confirmed strike in western Ukraine

Mayor confirms 6 explosions targeting infrastructure near Poland 🅱️order

Hypersonic IRBM traveled 1,500km in 7 minutes at Mach 10

No air defense can intercept this weapon system pic.twitter.com/wZE2X8YFYz

— Boi Agent One (@boiagentone) January 8, 2026

The attack took place just hours after Zelensky alerted the nation about Russia's intentions for a large-scale offensive. He said that Russia aimed to take advantage of the frigid weather in the capital that has made roads and streets perilously icy.

The EU's top diplomat has said that Russia's Oreshnik missile strike on Ukraine is a 'clear escalation'.

What is the Oreshnik missile?

In recent months, Putin has spoken about the missile as a threat to both Ukraine and the West. He claims that the missile is impossible to intercept because of its speed and that even when armed with a conventional warhead, it is as good as a nuclear weapon.

For only the second time, Russia has used its hypersonic Oreshnik missile that travels at the speed of 13,000 kilometres per hour, which is 10 times the speed of sound. Russia's missile forces chief has said that the speed allows the missile to reach all of Europe, CNN reported.

The first time it used the missile was in November 2024, when Russia hit Ukraine's central city of Dnipro.

The Oreshnik missile can reach up to 5,500 kilometres. 

READ | Speed, Range, Threat: All About Russia's Oreshnik Missile Fired On Ukraine

The barrage is just the latest to batter Ukraine as diplomats wrangle for a breakthrough in what has been Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II. 

Russia, which launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, has pressed forward with its assault, bombarding Ukraine daily.

(With inputs from agencies)