The Russian Defence Ministry stated that the attack was a response to an alleged drone attempt targeting President Vladimir Putin’s home.
The Russian armed forces claimed to have launched its hypersonic Oreshnik missile at a location in Ukraine as a reaction to what it referred to as a failed Ukrainian drone attack on one of President Vladimir Putin’s homes, which Kyiv has dismissed as false.
This was the second instance where Russia deployed the intermediate-range Oreshnik, a missile that President Vladimir Putin has claimed is uncatchable due to its alleged speed exceeding ten times the speed of sound.
The missile is able to transport both nuclear and conventional warheads, but there was no indication that the one used in the night attack contained anything other than a conventional warhead.
The Russian Ministry of Defence stated that the attack focused on vital infrastructure in Ukraine. It mentioned that Russia had also deployed attack drones along with highly accurate long-range land and sea-based weaponry.
“The strike successfully targeted its objectives. These targets comprised facilities that manufacture unmanned aerial vehicles, which were allegedly utilized in a terrorist attack (against the Putin residence), along with energy infrastructure that supports Ukraine’s military-industrial sector,” the ministry stated in a release.
Ukraine has dismissed the Russian claim that its drones attempted to target one of Putin’s homes in the Novgorod region at the end of December as “an absurd lie,” suggesting it is intended to disrupt already challenging peace negotiations.
U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed he does not believe the attack on the residence took place, but mentioned that “something” different occurred in the vicinity.
The leader of Ukraine’s western Lviv region previously mentioned that a Russian strike hit an infrastructure site, with unverified social media reports suggesting it was a large underground gas storage facility.
Reuters was unable to confirm this.
The Ukrainian air force stated on Friday that Russia had launched an Oreshnik missile from the Kapustin Yar testing site near the Caspian Sea.
The first Oreshnik, which translates to “hazel tree” in Russian, was launched by Moscow against what it claimed was a military factory in Ukraine in November 2024. At that time, Ukrainian sources stated the missile contained fake warheads instead of explosives and resulted in minimal damage.
Putin stated that the Oreshnik’s destructive capability is similar to that of a nuclear weapon, even when equipped with a conventional warhead.
Some Western officials have shown doubt regarding the Oreshnik’s effectiveness. A US official stated in December 2024 that the weapon is not considered a significant factor on the battlefield.
In December, Russia shared footage claiming the deployment of the Oreshnik missile system in its close ally Belarus, an action intended to enhance Moscow’s capacity to attack locations throughout Europe in case of conflict.
The most recent assault occurred only a few hours following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s warning to the country regarding Russia’s plans for a major offensive. He mentioned that Russia sought to exploit the freezing conditions in the capital, rendering roads and streets extremely hazardous.
The strike, almost four years following the start of Putin’s invasion, occurs during discussions between Zelensky’s representatives and the United States aimed at concluding the conflict, including security assurances for a post-war Ukraine from its allies.
Additional coverage from Agence France-Presse
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This piece was first published in the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), a top news outlet covering China and Asia.
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