Moscow said the strikes targeted military facilities and defence-industrial sites in retaliation for Ukrainian attacks inside Russia. Moscow described the operation as retaliation for what it called Ukrainian attacks on civilian targets inside Russia and claimed that all designated objectives had been successfully hit. Reuters was unable to independently verify those battlefield claims. Ukraine, meanwhile, reported one of the heaviest aerial assaults of the conflict. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia launched approximately 600 strike drones and 90 missiles during the attack. Ukrainian air defence units claimed to have intercepted or electronically jammed the majority of incoming threats, though missiles and drones still struck multiple locations across Kyiv and surrounding areas. The attack drew particular attention because it reportedly involved four of Russia's most advanced missile systems. The Oreshnik is Russia's newest intermediate-range ballistic missile and is believed to be capable of carrying multiple independently targeted warheads. President Vladimir Putin has previously claimed that the missile travels at around ten times the speed of sound and can penetrate deeply buried command centres and hardened bunkers. Russia first publicly demonstrated the weapon during a strike on Dnipro in November 2024 before reportedly using it again in western Ukraine earlier this year. The Russian army’s Iskander missile launchers take positions during drills in Russia. The Iskander missile system serves as one of Russia's primary battlefield strike weapons. Available in both ballistic and cruise missile variants, Iskander missiles are designed to attack command centres, air defence systems, logistics hubs and other high-value military targets at ranges of several hundred kilometres. The Kinzhal is an air-launched hypersonic missile carried by modified fighter aircraft. Russian officials claim it can manoeuvre at extremely high speeds while evading missile-defence systems. Moscow has repeatedly used Kinzhal missiles throughout the war against strategic infrastructure and military facilities. The Zircon missile was originally developed as a hypersonic anti-ship weapon for Russia's navy. In recent years, however, it has also been adapted for strikes against land targets, providing Moscow with another long-range precision-strike capability. Ukrainian authorities said the overnight attack caused damage at dozens of sites across the capital and surrounding region. According to preliminary figures, at least two people were killed and 56 others injured. Damage was reported at approximately 40 locations, including residential buildings, schools, warehouses and commercial properties. Ukraine's Air Force reported that one medium-range ballistic missile had been launched from the Kapustin Yar testing area in Russia's Astrakhan region, a site previously associated with Oreshnik launches. While the military stopped short of officially confirming the missile type, officials had issued warnings before the attack about a possible Oreshnik launch. Yuvraj Tyagi is a Senior Copy Editor, specializing in security, national, international and defense affairs. With extensive experience covering the Ka... View More