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 marks only the second time Moscow has employed the Oreshnik, which was first launched to target the central city of Dnipro in November 2024.
Russia's defence ministry indicated that the strike was a response to 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 intended targets, videos circulating on social media showed numerous explosions on the outskirts of Lviv shortly before midnight.
Ukrainian authorities confirmed that a ballistic missile had struck infrastructure in Lviv, located about 60km (40 miles) from the Polish border.
The Oreshnik is classified as an intermediate-range, hypersonic ballistic missile capable of reaching distances of up to 5,500km (3,417 miles). Its unique design allows for fragmentation during its final descent, creating multiple independently targeted projectiles that cause consecutive explosions.
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha stated that such strikes near EU and NATO borders pose significant threats to security on the European continent, labeling it a test for the transatlantic community.
As the attack unfolded, more than a dozen missiles and hundreds of drones were deployed in Kyiv, leading to multiple casualties, including a paramedic. The mayor of Kyiv described the incident as a 'double-tap' strike, designed to injure rescuers arriving on the scene.
The assault disrupted power supply in several neighborhoods amid harsh winter conditions, as Kyiv anticipates temperatures dropping to -15C (5F) this weekend.
In response to Russia's sustained assault on energy infrastructure, Ukraine has increasingly targeted power plants, leaving millions without heating and electricity.
Moreover, as Russia's attacks continued, Ukrainian shelling in the Russian region of Belgorod left half a million residents without power. Authorities also reported damage to water and heating systems following a Ukrainian strike on a power plant in Oryol.
