Russia uses hypersonic Oreshnik missile in deadly strike on Ukraine; all about Putin's lethal weapon
The overnight attack caused damage across several parts of the Ukrainian capital. Authorities said residential buildings, schools, a market and areas close to government offices were hit during the strikes.
Russia launched a large-scale drone and missile attack on Kyiv on Sunday, killing at least two people and injuring 83 others, according to Ukrainian officials. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Moscow used the powerful hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile during the assault, marking the third reported use of the weapon since the war began four years ago.
The overnight attack caused damage across several parts of the Ukrainian capital. Authorities said residential buildings, schools, a market and areas close to government offices were hit during the strikes.
Russia’s Defence Ministry later confirmed that the Oreshnik missile was used alongside other missile systems in attacks on Ukrainian military command centres, air bases and defence industry facilities. The ministry did not reveal the exact locations targeted.
Moscow said the strikes were carried out in response to recent Ukrainian attacks on civilian sites inside Russian territory.
Russia’s Oreshnik Missile: Key features explained
The Oreshnik missile is considered one of the most advanced and dangerous weapons in Russia’s military inventory. Designed to carry either nuclear or conventional warheads, the missile is built for long-range precision strikes and is intended to overcome modern air-defense systems.
“Oreshnik,” which translates to “hazelnut tree” in Russian, is a medium- to intermediate-range ballistic missile reportedly capable of hitting targets located around 3,000 to 5,500 kilometres away. Its combination of speed, range, and destructive capability has drawn significant global attention.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that the missile can travel at speeds close to Mach 10 — roughly 10 times the speed of sound. At such velocity, intercepting the missile becomes extremely difficult for existing missile-defense systems.
According to Russian officials, the Oreshnik is designed to strike heavily protected facilities, including underground bunkers buried several floors below the surface.
Putin has described the Oreshnik as virtually impossible to stop with current missile-defense technology. He compared its strike effect to a meteorite due to its immense speed and impact force.
Russia first reportedly used the Oreshnik missile against the Ukrainian city of Dnipro in November 2024. A second reported use took place in January 2025 in Ukraine’s western Lviv region. This was the third occasion when Russia used this missile.
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