Russia launched a massive and devastating missile and drone attack on Kyiv and its surrounding region, employing its powerful hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile for the third time in the conflict. The assault resulted in at least four fatalities, dozens injured, and widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, drawing swift international condemnation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the Oreshnik missile strike on Bila Tserkva in the Kyiv region, part of an assault he described as “heavy.” The attack involved approximately 600 drones and 90 missiles of various kinds, including 36 ballistic missiles. Kyiv was identified as the primary target, experiencing numerous hits, though not all ballistic missiles were intercepted. Damage was reported across every district of Kyiv, affecting essential services like a water supply facility, a market, dozens of residential buildings, several schools, a shopping centre, and a business centre where people were trapped.

The extensive damage also extended to cultural and governmental institutions. Ukraine’s National Art Museum, housing significant collections, sustained damage, including broken windows and scattered debris. The culture ministry stated that “Russia is systematically attacking civilian infrastructure and cultural institutions.” Ukraine’s foreign ministry and government headquarters also suffered light damage from nearby explosions. Residents described the horror of the night; Svitlana Onofryichuk, whose market workplace was destroyed, expressed her sorrow at leaving Kyiv, while 74-year-old Yevhen Zosin recounted being thrown back by a shockwave from an explosion that “blew his apartment to pieces.” Additionally, the centrally located studio of German public broadcaster ARD was heavily damaged and partially destroyed by a massive blast wave, though no employees were injured.

Russia's defence ministry confirmed the use of the Oreshnik, an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of carrying either nuclear or conventional warheads. Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously claimed the hypersonic weapon travels at 10 times the speed of sound, making it “impossible to intercept” and boasting destructive power rivalling a nuclear weapon even with a conventional warhead. Western analysts have expressed skepticism, but Ukraine currently lacks air defence systems to counter it. Moscow states the Oreshnik can hit targets between 3,000 and 5,500 kilometres away, potentially bringing large parts of Europe within range. The missile system is also believed to be possessed by Belarus. This latest deployment marks its third known use, following strikes on Dnipro in November 2024 and the western Lyiv region in January.

The international community reacted with strong condemnation. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the strikes, calling the Oreshnik's use a sign of “the dead end of Russia’s war of aggression” and a “dangerous escalation.” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called it a “reckless escalation.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the assault as demonstrating “the Kremlin’s brutality and disregard for both human life and peace negotiations,” emphasizing that “terror against civilians” is “desperation.” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas echoed these sentiments, terming the attacks “abhorrent acts of terror” and describing the Oreshnik's reported use as “reckless nuclear brinkmanship.” EU foreign ministers are set to discuss increasing international pressure on Russia. Austria's foreign minister, Beate Meinl-Reisinger, also offered support, stating these attacks reinforce “Ukraine’s freedom, Europe’s security, our shared values.”

Russia's defence ministry claimed the attack was in retaliation for Ukrainian strikes on “civilian facilities on Russian territory,” a claim Kyiv denied. The intense barrage followed Putin's vow of revenge after accusing Ukrainian forces of a deadly drone attack on a student dormitory in Luhansk, a Russian-controlled region. Ukraine refuted the accusations, stating it had struck an elite drone command unit. At a UN Security Council emergency meeting called by Russia, Ukraine’s ambassador dismissed Russia's war crime accusations as “pure propaganda show.” Ukrainian partners had warned of the impending Oreshnik strike hours before the attack.