Russia says it fired missile at Ukraine

MOSCOW/KYIV — Russia had fired its hypersonic Oreshnik missile at a target in Ukraine in response to an attempted Ukrainian drone strike on one of President Vladimir Putin's residences, according to the Russian Defence Ministry.

The ministry said the strike had targeted critical infrastructure in Ukraine. It said Russia had also used attack drones and high-precision long-range land and sea-based weapons.

"The strike's targets were hit. The targets included facilities producing unmanned aerial vehicles used in the terrorist attack, as well as energy infrastructure supporting Ukraine's military-industrial complex," the ministry said in a statement.

Ukrainian authorities said an infrastructure facility had been struck near the western city of Lviv by a ballistic missile traveling at hypersonic speed.

Ukraine has rejected the claim of the attack on Putin's residence.

US President Donald Trump said he doesn't believe the strike on Putin's residence happened, but that "something" unrelated happened fairly nearby.

Ukraine's military put the entire country on missile alert early Friday after confirming Russian bombers were airborne.

Ukraine and its Western allies agreed this week that Europe would deploy troops after any ceasefire. Moscow has rejected the idea of any Western forces stationed in Ukraine.

Spokeswoman of Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova warned on Thursday that such troops would be "considered legitimate military targets", branding Ukraine and its US and European allies an "axis of war".

The US has been pushing to reach a deal to halt the fighting, running shuttle diplomacy between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to secure an agreement.

An initial 28-point plan that largely adhered to Moscow's demands was criticized by Kyiv and Europe.

While Zelensky has said an agreement between Kyiv and Washington for US security guarantees was "essentially ready for finalization", German Chancellor Friedrich Merz acknowledged a ceasefire deal was still "quite far" given Russia's position.

EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas said on Friday Russia's strike on Ukraine was meant to send a warning message to Europe and the US.

Key territorial issues also appear unresolved. Russia insisted on full control of the Donbas region as part of any settlement, a term Kyiv rejects.

As diplomats wrangle for a breakthrough, the attacks on the ground persist.

In Kyiv, drone strikes across the city killed four people and wounded at least 24 others, police said.

Some neighborhoods were plunged into darkness during what Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko described as a "massive enemy missile attack".

Across the border in Russia's Belgorod, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Friday more than half a million people were without power or heating after a Ukrainian attack targeted the region's utilities. Nearly 200,000 people were also cut off from water supplies, he added.

Xinhua—Agencies