Russia’s armed forces carried out a massive strike on critical facilities in Ukraine, the Russian Ministry of Defense said on the morning of January 9 via its Telegram channel.
The ministry claimed that the strikes, including the use of the Oreshnik missile system, hit facilities involved in the production of Ukrainian military drones allegedly used in attacks, as well as energy infrastructure supporting Ukraine’s military-industrial complex. The Russian side described the attack as retaliation for an alleged strike on Vladimir Putin’s residence in Russia’s Novgorod region in December—a claim that Western intelligence agencies have not confirmed.
Ukraine’s Armed Forces confirmed that a medium-range ballistic missile was launched at Ukraine from the Kapustin Yar test site.
According to reports, a total of 244 enemy targets were intercepted overnight, with the main strikes concentrated on the Kyiv and Lviv regions. The Ukrainian news outlet UNIAN reported that Kyiv was attacked with drones as well as Iskander and Kalibr missiles. Four people were killed and 19 wounded; apartment buildings, shopping centers, and vehicles were damaged.
Oreshnik missiles were launched at the Lviv region. In response, Ukraine is urgently convening a meeting of the UN Security Council. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on Facebook:
“Such a strike near the borders of the EU and NATO is a serious threat to security on the European continent and a test for the transatlantic community.
We demand a decisive response to Russia’s reckless actions.”
Sybiha said that Ukrainian authorities have informed the United States, European partners, and international organizations through diplomatic channels about the details of the strike and have called on them to respond firmly to Russia’s actions.
