On the night of January 8, Russia launched an Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile targeting a gas storage facility in Ukraine’s Lviv Oblast near Stryi, approximately 70 km from the Polish NATO border.
Ukrainian media and independent sources have confirmed the news, stating that the Bilche-Volytsko-Uherske underground gas storage facility, the largest of its kind in Europe, has been hit with the Oreshnik, which deploys an MIRVs (multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles) system while descending and hits the target multiple times with 10-11 times the speed of sound.
BREAKING:
Russia just struck the Lviv region with an Oreshnik Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM).
Several volleys of MIRV strikes can be seen in the video. The fact that it happened close to the Polish border is a Russian message for all of Europe. pic.twitter.com/L0iCYmp0BZ— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) January 8, 2026
The Bilche-Volytsko-Uherske facility has a capacity exceeding 17 billion cubic meters, representing over 50% of Ukraine’s total gas reserves.
Local reports say that the gas pressure in the entire region dropped immediately after the strike, and currently, there is no supply in almost the entire Lviv Oblast. The hit occurred at 11.45 pm, local time, as per Ukrainian media.
The Oreshnik is the newest weapon in Russia’s arsenal. Vladimir Putin has famously stated that there is no air defence system in the world that can stop the Oreshnik.
‘There are no equivalents to Russia’s ‘Oreshnik’ in the world, and none will appear anytime soon,’ stated the Russian leader as he highlighted the superiority of the country’s newest missile system during the CSTO summit in Astana. pic.twitter.com/CAA8KqCHHk— RT (@RT_com) November 28, 2024
Oreshnik represents a major advancement in hypersonic weaponry. Travelling at speeds over Mach 10 (12,000-13,000 km/h), it features multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs) and high manoeuvrability, evading all existing air defences. Its kinetic penetrators can destroy hardened underground targets without explosives. This marks its second combat use, highlighting Russia’s focus on precision strikes against strategic energy assets.
Oreshnik is capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Russia had fired it for the first time on 21st November 2024 at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
Latest reports say that Russia is also hitting Kyiv with a severe drone attack currently.
