NATO and Ukrainian officials are set to take part in emergency talks on Tuesday after Russia launched a hypersonic missile attack on the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
The attack, which hit a military facility on Thursday, marks a significant escalation in the 33-month-long conflict.
It has intensified fears that the war is entering a "decisive phase," according to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who described the situation as taking on "very dramatic dimensions."
The assault, which utilized the experimental Oreshnik hypersonic missile, prompted immediate security measures in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, including the cancellation of a session of Ukraine's parliament.
What is Russia's New Oreshnik hypersonic missile?
Authorities tightened security across government buildings as the threat of further Russian missile strikes loomed.
In a defiant response, Russian President Vladimir Putin told the nation in a televised address that the missile strike was a direct retaliation for Ukraine's use of U.S. and British long-range weapons, which have enabled Kyiv to strike deeper into Russian territory.
Putin further warned that Western air defense systems would be powerless against the newly developed Oreshnik missile.
The missile, fired from Russia's Kapustin Yar missile range, is designed to carry six non-nuclear warheads, each equipped with submunitions, according to Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that Russia would take further retaliatory actions if its "concerns" were ignored.
What is Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban Accusing the U.S. Of?
Meanwhile, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, long considered one of the EU's most Kremlin-friendly leaders, echoed Moscow's rhetoric, suggesting that the U.S. may be directly involved in Ukraine's missile operations.
Orbán, speaking on Hungarian state radio, stated that the advanced guidance systems used in U.S.-supplied missiles likely require American personnel to operate effectively.
He also cautioned that Russia's nuclear posture should not be underestimated, stating that Moscow's recent changes to its nuclear doctrine are "not a bluff."
As the war intensifies, European officials continue to show solidarity with Ukraine.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský arrived in Kyiv on Friday to assess the impact of ongoing Russian attacks and to discuss the allocation of international aid.
On the domestic front, Ukrainian lawmakers reported that Friday's parliamentary session was canceled due to the heightened threat of Russian missile strikes on government buildings in Kyiv.
Lawmakers also advised businesses and NGOs in the capital to limit operations in areas vulnerable to attack.
How Powerful are Iranian-Supplied Shahed Drones?
The missile used in the Dnipro attack, the Oreshnik, is part of Russia's ongoing military innovations and represents a new class of intermediate-range weaponry.
According to the Pentagon, the missile is derived from Russia's RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile and has been tested in recent months, with successful test launches conducted in October 2023 and June 2024.
In other parts of Ukraine, Russia continued its aerial assault, striking a residential area in the northern city of Sumy with Iranian-made Shahed drones.
At least two people were killed, and 13 others were injured in the attack, which local authorities described as particularly brutal due to the shrapnel-laden nature of the drones.
Volodymyr Artiukh, head of the Sumy regional administration, described the Shahed drones as weapons designed to inflict human casualties rather than damage infrastructure. "These weapons are used to destroy people, not to destroy objects," Artiukh told Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne.
This article contains additional reporting from The Associated Press.
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