Russia Fires Hypersonic Missile Toward Lviv, Western Ukraine

On Jan 9 2026 Moscow launched the hypersonic Oreshnik missile toward vital infrastructure near Lviv in western Ukraine, just 30 km from the Polish border. The missile, travelling at ~13,000 km/h, can carry six warheads plus sub‑munitions, potentially dropping up to 36 pieces of ordnance. It was the second Oreshnik use after a Nov 2024 strike on a Dnipro plant. Russian officials, including former President Dmitry Medvedev, highlighted the weapon’s deterrent value, while Ukrainian Mayor Andriy Sadovyi warned that the strike aimed at European allies and could reach Warsaw or Riga in 6‑7 minutes. Western leaders—UK, France, Germany—condemned the attack as a political escalation.