Ukraine Calls Emergency UN Security Council and NATO-Ukraine Council Sessions Following Alleged 'Oreshnik' Strike by Russia

Early on Friday, January 9, 2026, Ukraine faced a significant, large-scale aerial assault involving both missiles and drones. Reports indicate that this attack resulted in the deaths of at least four individuals in Kyiv, including a medical professional, and left four other medical staff injured. A particular point of international concern was a strike in the Lviv region, where Ukrainian sources allege that the Russian Armed Forces deployed a medium-range, hypersonic ballistic missile, identified as the 'Oreshnik'. Ukraine's Air Force concluded that the launch originated from Russia's Astrakhan region.

In direct response to this incident, which occurred near the borders of both the European Union and NATO, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine initiated requests for emergency meetings of the United Nations Security Council and the NATO-Ukraine Council. Andriy Sybiga, who assumed the role of Ukraine's Foreign Minister on September 5, 2024, strongly condemned Moscow's actions. He characterized the strike as a grave menace to the security of the entire European continent and a true test for the transatlantic alliance. Sybiga dismissed Russia's justification for the strike as 'absurd' and 'false', specifically refuting claims that it was retaliation for an alleged drone attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence in the Novgorod region late in December. Earlier, Sybiga had confirmed that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had concluded no such attack on Putin's residence had actually taken place.

The missile in question, the presumed 'Oreshnik', is described as a medium-range ballistic missile system, representing an evolution of the RS-26 'Rubezh' and utilizing solid-fuel technology. Previously disclosed technical specifications suggest a maximum flight range reaching up to 5,500 kilometers and a top speed of Mach 10, translating to approximately 12,380 kilometers per hour. Experts suggest this missile is capable of carrying a multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) with six separate maneuvering warheads. Such extreme velocity, observers note, presents formidable challenges for current anti-missile defense systems, potentially allowing the missile to reach Germany in as little as 11 minutes. The 'Oreshnik' was reportedly used in combat for the first time on November 21, 2024, targeting the Yuzhmash plant in Dnipropetrovsk.

Beyond the Lviv area, the overnight bombardment impacted Kyiv and its surrounding region. Mykola Kalashnyk, the Head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration, reported a fire in a private home in the Boryspil district, where four people, including a five-year-old child, required hospitalization due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed damage to critical infrastructure across the capital, noting strikes in the Darnytskyi, Desnianskyi, Dniprovskyi, and Pecherskyi districts, affecting residential high-rises and a shopping center. The Russian Ministry of Defense acknowledged carrying out strikes across Ukraine, framing them as a response to 'terrorist attacks' targeting vital facilities. Meanwhile, Vyacheslav Gladkov, the Governor of the Belgorod region, reported that over 500,000 residents in his area were left without electricity and heating following shelling attributed to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Minister Sybiga reiterated Ukraine's steadfast commitment to the principle of 'nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine' and firmly rejected any territorial concessions to Russia. Kyiv's diplomatic efforts are now focused on securing an immediate, unified response from the international community. This includes calls for more decisive actions to pressure Russia, specifically targeting its shadow fleet operations and oil revenues. Sybiga urged relevant international bodies to actively expose Russian disinformation campaigns and escalate existing sanctions. Furthermore, the alleged deployment of the 'Oreshnik'—a weapon potentially banned under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty—reignites crucial international discussions regarding adherence to arms control regimes and the limits of escalation. Ukraine maintains that its Peace Formula remains the sole viable path toward achieving a just and lasting peace.