Kyiv (TIP): NATO and Ukraine will convene emergency talks on Tuesday after Russia escalated the nearly 33-month war by attacking the Ukrainian city of Dnipro with a new hypersonic missile. The missile, named Oreshnik, represents an experimental weapon that Russia claims is beyond the reach of current air defense systems.
The strike, which targeted a military facility in Dnipro, marked a significant escalation in the conflict. Ukrainian officials reported that the missile, traveling at Mach 11, carried six non-nuclear warheads that dispersed into multiple submunitions upon impact. While no fatalities were reported, the attack forced Ukraine’s parliament to cancel a session and heightened security across Kyiv.
Russian President Vladimir Putin described the strike as retaliation for Ukraine’s use of Western-provided longer-range missiles capable of hitting Russian territory. In a televised address, Putin warned that the Oreshnik missile is “so powerful that its conventional use could rival the effects of a nuclear strike.”
The missile was launched from the Kapustin Yar test range in Russia’s Astrakhan region, according to Ukraine’s intelligence agency. The Pentagon confirmed the missile’s experimental nature, linking it to the RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile program.
Dnipro, Ukraine’s fourth-largest city and a critical hub for military logistics and humanitarian aid, was the focal point of the attack. The missile struck the Pivdenmash plant, a former Soviet facility that once produced intercontinental ballistic missiles.
NATO and Western leaders have condemned the attack, with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský calling it an “escalatory step” aimed at intimidating Ukraine and Europe. Lipavský expressed support for increasing air defense aid to Ukraine, emphasizing the need to counter such “heinous attacks.”
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, however, echoed Kremlin rhetoric, suggesting that the use of advanced US weapons in Ukraine implies direct American involvement. Orbán also warned against dismissing Russia’s nuclear rhetoric as a bluff.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the war is entering a “decisive phase,” with dramatic developments highlighting the urgency of NATO’s unified response.
Broader impacts of the attack
Russia’s move has drawn sharp criticism for its use of advanced hypersonic technology in active conflict. The Oreshnik missile, which Putin claims is unmatched globally, is still undergoing testing. Russian officials confirmed plans to produce and deploy the missile depending on security threats.
Elsewhere in Ukraine, Russian drone strikes killed two people and injured 13 in Sumy, according to local officials. The drones, reportedly packed with shrapnel, targeted residential areas, underscoring the ongoing civilian toll of the conflict.
(With inputs from AP)