The Russian military has announced it fired its advanced Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile at targets in Ukraine overnight. Moscow stated the strike was a direct response to what it described as an attempted Ukrainian drone attack on one of President Vladimir Putin's residences late last year—an allegation Kyiv has firmly denied, labelling it a lie.
The Overnight Attack and Russian Claims
According to a statement from the Russian Defence Ministry, the overnight operation targeted what it called critical infrastructure in Ukraine. The ministry asserted that the strike successfully hit facilities involved in producing unmanned aerial vehicles, allegedly used in the attempted attack on Putin's Novgorod residence, as well as energy infrastructure supporting Ukraine's military-industrial complex.
The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Friday 9 January 2026, also involved the use of attack drones and high-precision long-range weapons launched from land and sea. This marks only the second known use of the Oreshnik missile against Ukraine, following an initial test-firing with dummy warheads in November 2024.
Understanding the Oreshnik 'Hazel Tree' Missile
The Oreshnik, whose name translates to 'Hazel Tree', is an intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile that represents a significant part of Russia's modern arsenal. President Putin has repeatedly boasted about its capabilities, claiming it is impossible to intercept due to a reported velocity exceeding ten times the speed of sound—around 13,600 kph (8,450 mph).
Ukrainian sources reported that the missile used in the 2024 test took approximately 15 minutes to reach its target after being launched from southern Russia. While the Oreshnik is capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional warheads, Russian authorities indicated only a conventional payload was used in this latest attack.
Military Significance and Western Assessment
Military experts highlight that a novel feature of the Oreshnik is its ability to carry multiple independently targetable warheads—a capability typically associated with longer-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). The system is based on the RS-26 Rubezh, originally developed as an intercontinental missile.
However, some Western analysts have questioned Moscow's sweeping claims about the weapon. In December 2024, a U.S. official downplayed its impact, describing the Oreshnik as experimental in nature and suggesting Russia likely possessed only a handful of the missiles. Despite this, Russia has since moved the missile into serial production and has supplied it to its ally Belarus.
The overnight strike reportedly targeted Ukraine's Lviv region in the west, which borders NATO member Poland. Ukraine's foreign minister condemned the attack as a "global threat" demanding an international response. This escalation occurs amidst reported efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump to broker a peace deal to end the conflict, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
