Jan 9, 2026, 7:31 amJan 9, 2026, 7:55 a.m
Despite ongoing peace efforts, Russia has fired a heavy ballistic missile into western Ukraine on the border with EU and NATO territory. The Ukrainian Air Force said an air alert was raised for the entire country on Thursday around 11:30 p.m. local time (10:30 p.m. CET). There was a risk of a ballistic weapon being launched from the Russian Kapustin Yar test site. A little later, impacts were recorded in the Lviv area.
Firefighters on January 9th in Kyiv.Image: keystone
A critical infrastructure object was attacked, regional governor Maksym Kosyzkyj wrote on Telegram. According to information from Moscow, Russia used the feared new Oreshnik medium-range missile in the attack. This was announced by the Russian Ministry of Defense. “Russian armed forces launched a massive strike with long-range ground and sea-based high-precision weapons against critical objects in Ukraine, including the Oreshnik medium-range complex and drones,” the agency said in a statement.
According to the ministry, the operation is a reprisal for the alleged attack on the residence of Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin in Valdai, northern Russia, shortly before the turn of the year. At the time, the Kremlin spoke of an attempted terrorist attack, and US President Donald Trump – informed by Putin by telephone – also criticized such an attack. Ukraine, for its part, has denied that it even launched an attack on the residence. Experts doubt the credibility of the information provided by Russia.
In the past, Moscow has always claimed the right to respond to resonant attacks against its own targets with serious attacks on Ukraine.
Residents of the region described the loud impacts like many earthquakes in a row. Information about the destination was not given. But the Lviv region is home to the Stryi underground gas storage facility, which has been the target of Russian attacks on several occasions.
According to Russian information, the new Oreshnik medium-range missile was first fired at the southern Ukrainian city of Dnipro in November 2024. This launch also took place from Kapustin Yar near Astrakhan in southern Russia. According to Ukrainian information, the six warheads did not contain any explosives. Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin spoke of a test and threatened that more would follow.
Western military officials see the Oreshnik as a further development of the Russian RS-26 Rubesh intercontinental ballistic missile. The range is estimated at 2,000 to 5,000 kilometers. Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko says Russia has now stationed the Oreshnik in his country.
Zelensky warned of a serious attack
Ukraine expected a heavy Russian air strike. President Volodymyr Zelensky warned in his evening address: “There is information that there could be a new massive Russian attack tonight.” Citizens should pay attention to air alerts and take refuge in shelters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned in advance of an attack.Image: keystone
The capital Kyiv was attacked by swarms of drones at night. Mayor Vitali Klitschko spoke of at least four dead and 19 injured. The massive attack also damaged the critical infrastructure. The electricity and water supplies are interrupted in some parts of the city. Falling debris caused damage and houses burned.
The Ukrainian Air Force also reported attacks with the Kalibr cruise missile from the Black Sea. Ukraine, for its part, attacked targets in the Russian regions of Belgorod, Oryol and St. Petersburg with combat drones.
Hard frost exacerbates Ukraine’s woes
Moscow is trying to do particular damage to Ukraine in the harsh frost, said Zelensky: “Russia is currently relying more on winter than on diplomacy, on ballistic missiles against our energy supply and not on work with America and agreements with President (Donald) Trump.”
Temperatures are expected to drop below freezing almost everywhere in Ukraine from Friday. In Kiev and the northern part of the country there will be ten degrees of frost or more for days. This increases the pressure on the already severely strained supply of electricity, heat and water. The Dnipropetrovsk region is already experiencing its worst blackout in nearly four years of war, with hundreds of thousands of people without power following an attack on Thursday night. A woman was killed and at least 23 injured in a rocket attack on the city of Kryvyi Rih.
Russian strike on NATO’s external border
The Russian missile attack on targets just 80 kilometers from the Polish border is also likely to have an impact on ongoing negotiations for a peace solution. Moscow has not yet responded to the vote on security guarantees and reconstruction of Ukraine that is taking place between Kiev, European states and the USA.
After the recent talks in Paris, Zelenskyj sees great progress on a bilateral document with the USA on security guarantees for his country. The paper is now “basically ready” for completion at the highest level with President Trump, he wrote on social networks.
Reports: Kremlin negotiator spoke to Americans in Paris
Russia will be kept informed by the US in the discussion process. The French newspaper Le Monde reported that Kremlin negotiator Kirill Dmitriyev was in Paris on Thursday, a day after the summit of Ukraine supporters in the Coalition of the Willing. The US portal “Axios”, citing informed sources, wrote that Dmitriyev spoke to US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the US embassy in Paris. (dab/sda/dpa)
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