Russia has launched one of its largest aerial assaults on Ukraine in recent months, firing a barrage of missiles and drones overnight and deploying a rare hypersonic weapon, in a move Kyiv says shatters any illusion of Moscow's desire for peace.
Night of Intense Barrage
According to the Ukrainian air force, a total of 36 missiles and 242 drones were launched at targets across the country. The strikes targeted critical infrastructure in western Ukraine and came just hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a specific warning that a "massive Russian attack" was likely.
Zelenskyy stated that Russian forces had not changed their tactics and were deliberately attempting to exploit harsh winter conditions to disrupt Ukrainian lives and energy supplies.
Hypersonic Weapon Deployment
A key development in the attack was Russia's use of the intermediate-range hypersonic Oreshnik missile. This marks only the second confirmed deployment of this advanced weapon, which President Vladimir Putin has publicly boasted is nearly impossible to intercept due to its velocity of more than ten times the speed of sound.
Moscow claimed the widespread strikes were retaliation for an alleged, but widely doubted, Ukrainian attempt to attack Putin's residence. US officials have previously expressed scepticism that such an attempt occurred.
European Security Concerns and Reactions
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha highlighted the strategic danger of the attack, noting that one target was near Lviv, only about 50 miles (80km) from the border with Poland, a member of both the European Union and NATO. He labelled Russia's justification for the strike as "absurd" and called it further proof Moscow requires no genuine pretext for its "terror and war".
Sybiha urged stronger international action against Russia's oil revenues and assets globally. The assault raises acute questions about Russia's sincerity in any peace negotiations, coming just days after discussions on security guarantees for Ukraine.
The attack underscores the ongoing and severe threat to regional stability, with Kyiv urging its Western partners to recognise the escalating danger posed to the wider European continent.
