• Russia has confirmed the use of its Oreshnik hypersonic missile in an offensive against Ukraine.
• Four people were killed and over 20 injured in a series of strikes across Kyiv and Lviv.
• The strike marked only the second battlefield use of the missile, which Russia claims is too advanced to intercept.
• Ukraine has denied allegations of attacking any Russian sites, stating the missile attacks are unprovoked.
• The Oreshnik missile poses a significant threat to European security due to its proximity to NATO borders.

In a significant escalation of its military operations, Russia announced it has fired the Oreshnik hypersonic missile at targets in Ukraine, claiming this action was a response to an alleged Ukrainian drone strike on President Vladimir Putin's residence. This missile, capable of reaching speeds of approximately 13,000 kilometers per hour (more than 8,000 mph), was part of a broader onslaught that reportedly killed four people and injured at least 25, particularly in the capital city of Kyiv and the western Lviv region, according to Reuters, India Times, and NPR.

The Defense Ministry revealed that Oreshnik was employed to target key infrastructure affiliated with Ukraine's military capabilities. This missile's utility marks only the second known operational deployment since its initial use against a military factory in November 2024, highlighted by Russian officials, who assert it carries the destructive capacity likened to that of a nuclear weapon even without such warheads, as reported by BBC and CBS News.

Ukraine’s military has refuted claims of an attack against Russian targets and condemned the missile strikes as unfounded provocations. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha labeled the missile strike "a grave threat to the security of Europe," warning that such actions call for robust responses from Ukraine's allies, as affirmed by Al Jazeera and Reuters.

The escalation follows recent discussions among U.S. and European leaders regarding the terms of potential peace negotiations, with Russia signaling it will treat any deployment of foreign troops as legitimate military targets. This latest maneuver underscores an alarming trend in the conflict, as European nations brace for heightened tensions and the implications of this military action were articulated by various analytical sources, including ABC News and India Times.