The United Kingdom, Germany and France condemned Russia\u2019s attack on Ukraine with the intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile Oreshnik, calling it \u201cescalatory and unacceptable\u201d. <\/p>\n
“It was clear Russia was using fabricated allegations to justify the attack,” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the French and German leaders in the call, according to the UK government spokesperson.<\/p>\n
Overnight on Friday Moscow launched Oreshnik to target critical infrastructure in Lviv in western Ukraine, about 60 kilometres to the border with the EU and NATO.<\/p>\n
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv would initiate international action in response to the missile’s use, including an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council and a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council.<\/p>\n
\u201cSuch a strike close to EU and NATO border is a grave threat to the security on the European continent and a test for the transatlantic community. We demand strong responses to Russia\u2019s reckless actions,\u201d he said in a post on X.<\/p>\n
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the Oreshnik launch was \u201cmeant as a warning to Europe and to the US\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cPutin doesn\u2019t want peace, Russia\u2019s reply to diplomacy is more missiles and destruction,\u201d Kallas wrote on X.<\/p>\n
Russia confirmed the use of Oreshnik, claiming the IRBM attack was \u201ca response\u201c to Ukraine\u2019s purported attempt to hit Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2019s residence last month \u2013 a claim that both Ukraine and the US denied. <\/p>\n
The CIA has assessed that Ukraine did not target Putin\u2019s residence, according to US officials. US President Donald Trump also added to assertions that the attack did not take place<\/a>.<\/p>\n Putin\u2019s aide Kirill Dmitriev, who is also the Kremlin\u2019s key negotiator with the US, responded to Kallas on X \u2014 a social media platform officially banned in Russia \u2014 with threats and insults. <\/p>\n “Kaja (Kallas) is not very bright or knowledgeable, but even she should know that there are no air defenses against the Oreshnik hypersonic Mach 10 missile,” Dmitriev wrote on X. <\/p>\n Russia\u2019s second Oreshnik attack<\/p>\n Oreshnik, which in Russian means \u201chazelnut tree\u201d, is one of Russia\u2019s newest weapons, and one whose potential Moscow has been keen to promote. <\/p>\n Its missiles can be equipped with nuclear payloads and are designed to hit targets over much greater ranges.<\/p>\n According to initial reports, the Oreshnik used in Friday\u2019s strike carried inert warheads, indicating the launch was largely symbolic. <\/p>\n