Russia Fires Nuclear-Capable Hypersonic Missile on Ukraine in Warning to NATO Allies

Russia has escalated the war in Ukraine by launching a large-scale overnight drone and missile assault that included the rare deployment of a nuclear-capable hypersonic weapon, Ukrainian officials confirmed on Friday. The attack killed at least four people in Kyiv and injured more than two dozen others, marking one of the most alarming strikes in recent months.

Ukrainian authorities said hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles were fired across the country, with residential buildings in Kyiv among the primary targets. The assault marked only the second confirmed use of Russia’s Oreshnik hypersonic missile since the war began nearly four years ago. European leaders and Ukrainian officials described the move as a deliberate escalation intended to send a warning to Ukraine’s Western backers, particularly NATO.

Among those killed in the capital was an emergency medical worker responding to the strikes. Several doctors and a police officer were also wounded while carrying out rescue operations, highlighting the toll on first responders as missile debris rained down on densely populated areas.

The timing of the attack is significant. It comes days after Ukraine and its partners reported progress toward post-war security guarantees under a potential US-led peace framework. Analysts believe Moscow aimed to undermine diplomatic momentum by demonstrating its advanced military capabilities and reinforcing its readiness to escalate further if negotiations proceed without Russian terms.

Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed the assault was retaliation for an alleged Ukrainian drone attack on a residence linked to Vladimir Putin last month, a claim rejected by Ukraine and the United States. The strikes also followed rising tensions between Moscow and Washington after the US seized a Russian-linked oil tanker in the North Atlantic and signalled support for tougher sanctions on Russia.

Military experts said some of the missiles struck western Ukraine, including areas near the Polish border, in what appeared to be a calculated signal to European allies considering deeper involvement in Ukraine’s security. Proposals by a group of European nations to deploy troops in Ukraine after a peace agreement have reportedly angered Moscow.

Debris from the Oreshnik missile was recovered in the Lviv region, with Ukrainian security officials stating that the weapon was launched from Russia’s Kapustin Yar test range near the Caspian Sea. While Moscow did not confirm the exact impact location, Russian military commentators claimed it targeted underground energy infrastructure close to key Western supply routes.

The Oreshnik missile, first used in combat in November 2024, is capable of travelling at hypersonic speeds of around Mach 10. Russian officials have claimed the system is immune to existing missile defence technologies and can carry both nuclear and conventional warheads. Its design allows for multiple independently targetable warheads, delivering immense kinetic force even without explosive payloads.

European leaders strongly condemned the latest assault, calling it unacceptable and escalatory. The European Union’s top diplomat said Russia was responding to diplomatic initiatives with intensified destruction rather than engagement.

As the war grinds on, the use of such advanced weaponry underscores the growing risks facing Ukraine and Europe, while reinforcing fears that the conflict could widen if diplomatic efforts fail to curb further escalation.