KYIV, Ukraine – NATO and Ukraine are set to engage in emergency talks after Russia launched a hypersonic ballistic missile at a central city, escalating the ongoing conflict into a critical phase. The attack on Dnipro with an experimental missile has raised concerns about the direction of the nearly three-year-old war, with Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk emphasizing the dramatic dimensions that the conflict has now taken on.
Following Thursday’s strike on a military facility in Dnipro, Ukraine’s parliament opted to cancel a scheduled session amid heightened security measures. Russian President Vladimir Putin justified the attack as a response to Ukraine’s utilization of long-range missiles supplied by the United States and Britain, warning the West that Western air defense systems would be ineffective against their newest missile, named Oreshnik.
The missile that struck Dnipro reportedly reached a velocity of Mach 11 and carried multiple nonnuclear warheads, each releasing submunitions. Putin proudly announced that Russia has capabilities unmatched by any other nation currently possessing similar weapons, hinting at potential future production. Despite not being an intercontinental missile, the Oreshnik’s power, as stated by Putin, could rival that of strategic or even nuclear weapons when utilized en masse.
The Kremlin’s spokesperson reinforced Russia’s stance, attributing the situation to the actions of Western nations providing arms to Ukraine, while Hungary’s Prime Minister echoed Moscow’s sentiments by suggesting potential American involvement in guiding the U.S.-supplied weapons in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský condemned the recent missile strike as an escalation by Russia, underscoring the threat it poses to Ukraine and Europe as a whole.
The deployment of air defense systems to safeguard Ukrainian civilians was highlighted as crucial by Lipavský, with no restrictions placed on the assistance the Czech Republic is willing to provide. With ongoing threats of Russian missiles targeting government buildings in central Kyiv, concerns of escalating tensions persist, prompting warnings to limit activities within affected areas. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office continues to operate under standard security precautions amid the heightened risk of attacks.
The Oreshnik missile, fired from a Russian test range, has raised alarms about Russia’s evolving military capabilities, drawing comparisons to nuclear weapons due to its potential devastation when used in numbers. Despite the absence of fatalities from the Dnipro strike, the symbolic impact has not been lost on the residents of the city, as conversations on social media reveal a mix of concern and dark humor. As the conflict intensifies, the need for de-escalation and diplomatic solutions becomes increasingly urgent.