Russia deploys Oreshnik missile in overnight strikes on Ukraine

New Delhi, Jan 9: Russia has used its Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile in a major overnight assault on Ukraine, killing at least four people and injuring 25 in Kyiv, the BBC reported. Loud explosions were heard across the capital for hours, with multiple residential buildings and infrastructure hit. This was only the second known use of the Oreshnik missile, which was first deployed against the city of Dnipro in November 2024. Russia’s defence ministry said the strikes were retaliation for an alleged Ukrainian drone attack on President Vladimir Putin’s residence in late December, a claim denied by Kyiv and questioned by the EU and former US president Donald Trump.

Ukrainian authorities said a ballistic missile also struck infrastructure in Lviv, around 60km from the Polish border. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha warned that such strikes near EU and Nato borders posed a “grave threat” to European security.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the capital suffered a “double-tap” attack, in which a second strike hit rescuers responding to the first. Power outages were reported across several neighbourhoods amid freezing temperatures. Meanwhile, Russian officials said Ukrainian strikes left hundreds of thousands without power in Belgorod and disrupted utilities in the city of Oryol, as both sides continued targeting energy infrastructure.