Sunday, January 11, 2026- Russia launched a large-scale overnight assault on Ukraine that included hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, killing several people and injuring many more as cities such as Kyiv came under fire in freezing winter conditions. In this barrage, Moscow deployed its new hypersonic Oreshnik missile for only the second time in the nearly four-year conflict, a weapon capable of flying at extremely high speeds and carrying multiple warheads.
This strike targeted critical infrastructure in western Ukraine, including facilities near the Polish border that are key to Western military aid routes. The launch is being widely interpreted as a deliberate warning to NATO, the United States, and other Western allies that Russia has advanced strike capabilities and is willing to use them in the ongoing war.
The use of the Oreshnik, which Russia says can evade missile defenses and carry either conventional or nuclear payloads, comes amid diplomatic moves by Ukraine and its partners to strengthen defensive cooperation and negotiate international support.
Ukrainian officials have condemned the deployment of this missile as an escalation and have called for emergency meetings of the United Nations Security Council and the Ukraine‑NATO Council to address what they describe as reckless actions. Western leaders have also denounced the attack as escalatory and unacceptable, stressing that it threatens broader European security and undermines efforts toward peace.
The immediate aftermath of the attack saw widespread disruption of essential services in Ukraine’s capital, including heat, electricity, and water, as well as damage to residential and diplomatic buildings. Kyiv’s leaders maintained that Russia’s aggressive tactics aim to intimidate Ukraine’s allies and dissuade further Western military support.
Talks continue between Ukrainian and U.S. representatives on international responses, even as Ukraine conducts counterattacks on Russian energy and strategic infrastructure. The situation remains highly volatile, with global concern growing over the implications of Russia’s use of high-speed ballistic missiles near NATO borders.
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