Russia says it struck western Ukraine with nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile

The Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday that it had struck western Ukraine with a nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile, the Oreshnik, in an attack near the border with Poland that appeared intended as a message to Europe supporting Kyiv in peace talks. Russia said it used the Oreshnik and other weapons to hit drone-making and energy infrastructure.

Explosions were reported early Friday near the western city of Lviv after the Ukrainian military warned of a potential missile launch from the Kapustin Yar strategic testing site; there were no reports of deaths. The Oreshnik can carry conventional or dummy warheads in addition to nuclear ones, and it was unclear how the missile used on Friday had been equipped.

Moscow characterized the strike as a response to an attempted Ukrainian attack last month on one of President Vladimir V. Putin’s residences. Ukrainian officials called that claim a lie meant to derail peace talks, and U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded there is no evidence such an attack occurred.

President Volodymyr Zelensky demanded a global reaction, and Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andriy Sybiha, called the strike “a grave threat to the security of the European continent,” saying Ukraine had informed the United States, European nations and international organizations. The launch is only the second use of the Oreshnik in the war; its first firing, in 2024, struck central Ukraine with dummy warheads and caused only minimal damage.

Key Topics

World, Russia, Oreshnik Missile, Lviv, Poland, Kapustin Yar