Russia hits Ukraine with Oreshnik missile

Russia pounded Kyiv and surrounding areas with hundreds of drones and missiles on Sunday in one of the heaviest bombardments of the city since the start of the four-year war, firing an Oreshnik hypersonic missile near the capital.

Russia’s hours-long overnight barrage killed two here and two more in the surrounding area, with nearly 100 wounded, said Ukrainian officials.

“It’s important that this does not remain without consequences for Russia,” said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Telegram, urging Ukraine’s allies to act.

“Decisions are needed — from the United States, from Europe and others.”

Officials also reported strikes in other parts of Ukraine and two deaths in the southern region of Kherson.

European leaders condemned the attack, with Britain and Germany describing the use of the Oreshnik, an intermediate range missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads, as an “escalation”.

European Union top diplomat Kaja Kallas accused Moscow of resorting to “a political scare-tactic and reckless nuclear-brinkmanship”.

The attack caused minor damage to Ukraine’s cabinet building and to the Foreign Ministry.

Kyiv’s national art museum and philharmonic hall were badly damaged, said officials, with many other historic buildings also affected.

“This is a war against our culture, memory and identity,” said Zelenskyy’s top aide, Kyrylo Budanov. “For centuries, Moscow has tried to destroy everything that makes us Ukrainian.”

About 30 buildings in Kyiv were damaged or destroyed, said Zelenskyy.

It was only the third time that Russia used the Oreshnik missile against Ukraine since the war began with Russia’s invasion in February 2022.

The Oreshnik has a range of several thousand kilometres.

The previous strikes had hit major cities, but Zelenskyy said this one had struck Bila Tserkva, a city of 200,000 people about 64km from here.

The air force said Russia launched 90 missiles and 600 drones in total.

Moscow said it used Oreshnik, Iskander, Kinzhal and Zircon missiles in retaliation for Kyiv’s strikes on civilian targets in Russia.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said the strikes targeted Ukrainian military command facilities.

The attack devastated Lukyanivka, a Kyiv district that is home to a missile plant.

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المصدر: New Straits Times