Rare Oreshnik Missile Strike Hits Kyiv, Leaving Casualties and Damage

Sat Jan 10 2026 02:48:10 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A ballistic missile strike in Kyiv, confirmed by Russia, has resulted in tragic casualties and significant damage. The Oreshnik missile, recently deployed, poses a new threat to the region amid intensifying conflict.

In a significant overnight attack, Russia has utilized the rarely deployed Oreshnik ballistic missile, leading to four fatalities and 25 injuries in Kyiv. The strike, claimed to be in retaliation for alleged Ukrainian aggression, marks an alarming escalation in the ongoing conflict as authorities brace for harsh winter conditions.

Russia has confirmed that it used the Oreshnik ballistic missile as part of a massive overnight strike on Ukraine on Thursday night.

Four people were killed and 25 others injured in Kyiv, where loud booms could be heard for several hours, setting the sky alight with explosions.

This is only the second time Moscow has used the Oreshnik, first deployed to hit the central city of Dnipro in November 2024.

Russia's defense ministry stated that the strike was retaliation for a Ukrainian drone attack on Vladimir Putin's residence in late December, a claim that Kyiv denies.

While the ministry did not specify the Oreshnik's target, videos circulated on social media showing numerous explosions on the outskirts of Lviv, approximately 60km from the Polish border.

The Oreshnik is classified as an intermediate-range, hypersonic ballistic missile with the capability to reach up to 5,500km. Its warhead can fragment during descent into multiple projectiles, creating consecutive explosions.

Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha described the strike as a significant threat to European security and a test for the transatlantic community.

The attack resulted in substantial collateral damage, with a paramedic among those killed while responding to the scene. Mayor Vitali Klitschko noted it was a 'double-tap' strike intended to target rescuers.

Additionally, power supplies were compromised across several Kyiv neighborhoods as the city braces for harsh winter conditions.

The ongoing assault on Ukraine's energy infrastructure coincidentally affected regions within Russia, leaving half a million residents in Belgorod without power amidst claims of Ukrainian shelling.