At least 2 dead as Russia strikes Kiev with Oreshnik hypersonic missile, weeks after Putin says end of war may be near | Today’s news

Weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that the war in Ukraine may be coming to an end, Kiev said on Sunday (local time) that Moscow had launched a mass attack with drones and missiles.

The attack, which was carried out using a powerful hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile, killed at least two people in Kiev, the third time Moscow has used the weapon in the four-year war.

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Russia launched an airstrike in Kiev

The intense airstrike damaged buildings across the Ukrainian capital, including areas near government offices, residential buildings, schools and a marketplace, officials said, adding that at least 83 people were injured, AP reported.

The attack included 600 strike drones and 90 air, sea and land-based missiles, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. Ukrainian air defense destroyed or jammed 549 drones and 55 missiles. About 19 missiles missed their target, the Air Force said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram that the Oreshnik missile, which can carry nuclear or conventional warheads, hit the town of Bila Tserkva in the Kyiv region. However, the intended goal was not immediately clear.

Shortly after the attack, Moscow’s Ministry of Defense confirmed the use of the Oreshnik missile, along with other types of missiles, to attack Ukrainian “military command and control facilities”, air bases and military industrial enterprises. She did not specify where the targets were, but added that the attack was in retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on civilian facilities in Moscow, without giving further details.

Kiev’s allies condemn the Russian strikes

Kiev’s European allies, including France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Friedrich Merz, condemned the Russian strikes and use of the Oresnik missile in statements released on Sunday. Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, said top diplomats from EU states would meet within days to “discuss how to dial up international pressure on Russia.”

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Ukraine is trying to intercept ballistic missiles

After the attack, Ukrainian President Zelenskyi said that Ukrainian forces were trying to intercept all ballistic missiles and that most of the strikes hit Kiev, the primary target of the attack.

The apparent interception failure underscored Ukraine’s chronic shortage of air defense missiles capable of shooting down ballistic missiles, the AP reported. Kiev relies heavily on US Patriot air defense systems to intercept such weapons, but fighter jets are still in short supply and are among Ukraine’s most pressing demands to its Western partners.

Ukraine’s Emergency Service said in a Telegram post that damage was recorded in 50 places in several parts of the capital, including residential buildings, shopping malls, schools and malls. It added that the buildings of the police department were also damaged.

The fires continued into the morning, complicating rescue efforts as buildings collapsed after the blast.

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Putin condemns drone attack on university dormitories

Russia’s overnight attack on the Ukrainian capital came days after Putin condemned a drone strike on university dormitories in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine that Moscow blames on Kiev and ordered the Russian military to present its proposals for retaliation. He said there are no military or law enforcement facilities near the college.

The death toll from the strike in Starobilsk rose to 21 as authorities ended search and rescue operations. The press service of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said late Saturday that 42 other people were injured in the attack, which was carried out the previous night. The Kremlin-appointed authorities of the Luhansk region declared two days of mourning for Sunday and Monday to honor the victims.

At an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC), convened at Russia’s request after the strike, Ukrainian ambassador Andriy Melnyk rejected Russian accusations of war crimes, calling them a “pure propaganda show” and insisting that the May 22 operations were “solely aimed at the Russian war machine”.

Key things

• The use of hypersonic missiles represents a significant escalation of Russian military capabilities in the ongoing conflict.
• The attack highlights the vulnerability of Ukraine’s air defense systems, especially against ballistic missiles.
• International condemnation of Russia’s actions suggests growing global pressure on Moscow amid the conflict.