Russia's overnight launch of the Oreshnik, a hypersonic IRBM, at an infrastructure facility in Ukraine's Lviv region near the Poland border has set off alarm bells across Europe and beyond 😮⚡.
What’s the Oreshnik? It's an intermediate-range ballistic missile that zips at hypersonic speeds—think over five times the speed of sound—making interception nearly impossible, according to Moscow. This is only its second known combat use.
Russia claims the strike was payback for a drone attack on President Putin's residence, a claim Ukraine denies and the US disputes. Analysts see it as a pressure move: with the target just 70 km from the EU frontier, the message is clear—Europe’s air defenses need a serious upgrade.
In response, UK, French, and German leaders slammed the strike as “escalatory and unacceptable.” Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovy warned on Facebook that this marks “a new level of threat” to both Ukraine and Europe’s security.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy urged neighbouring capitals—Warsaw, Bucharest, Budapest—to recognize the shared risk. “Medium-range ballistic missiles are a common challenge,” he said in his nightly video address. “We all need to take it seriously.”
Behind the scenes, Zelenskyy reshuffled his Supreme Commander-in-Chief's Headquarters, bringing in new faces like Deputy Defense Minister Serhiy Boiev and Defense Intelligence Chief Oleh Ivashchenko, while removing the former head of the Border Guard.
Despite high tensions, ceasefire talks are in the works. The UK government even set aside £200 million to prep British troops for a multinational peacekeeping force once the guns go silent.
For South and Southeast Asian readers, this escalation is a stark reminder: hypersonic tech is reshaping global security—from Europe’s borders to the Indo-Pacific. As nations rush to upgrade defenses, the race for next-gen missile shields is on everywhere 🌏🔒.
Reference(s):
Russia launches Oreshnik missile at Ukraine target near NATO border
cgtn.com
