Russia has fired its most advanced hypersonic missile at Ukraine for only the second time in the nearly four-year conflict, delivering a forceful message to Kyiv and its Western supporters as delicate peace negotiations reach a critical phase.
A Strategic Strike Near NATO's Border
The Russian military confirmed it launched the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile late on Thursday night. The weapon struck Ukraine's western Lviv region, an area perilously close to the Polish border and a key military logistics hub used for channelling Western arms supplies into the country.
Analysts in Moscow were quick to interpret the strike as a deliberate warning. The target's proximity to a NATO member state underscores Russia's opposition to proposals from some European leaders to station troops inside Ukraine as part of any future security agreement. The Kremlin has stated it would view any such forces as legitimate military targets.
The Formidable Oreshnik: Capabilities and Deployment
First used in November 2024 against the city of Dnipro, the Oreshnik represents a significant escalation in Russia's conventional arsenal. President Vladimir Putin has boasted that the missile, whose name means "hazelnut tree," travels at Mach 10 – ten times the speed of sound – and is impervious to existing missile defence systems.
The Pentagon assesses the Oreshnik as an experimental IRBM, derived from Russia's RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. With a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometres, it can carry either nuclear or conventional warheads and is capable of striking any target in Europe. Ukraine's military reported that during its first use, the missile carried six independently targetable warheads.
Significantly, Russia's Defence Ministry announced last month that the Oreshnik system had been deployed to Belarus and entered active service. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko suggested up to ten such systems could be stationed there, further extending the threat radius across Europe.
Timing and Geopolitical Implications
This provocative weapons test comes as U.S.-led peace talks enter a pivotal stage. With Russian forces making slow but steady gains on the battlefield, the move appears designed to strengthen Moscow's negotiating position.
Military expert Valery Shiryayev framed the strike as a stark demonstration. "For the first time, NATO command has been shown a strategic weapons strike virtually on its border," he said. "This action is intended to demonstrate the determination of Russia’s military and political leadership to use such weapons with nuclear warheads if necessary."
The attack also follows closely on the heels of the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a Russian ally, an act Moscow condemned as aggression. Combined with the recent seizure of a Russian-flagged tanker, these events contribute to a sharply heightened state of geopolitical tension, with the Oreshnik serving as a potent symbol of Russian military resolve.
