Zelenski's warning after Russia's latest attack in Ukraine with an Oresnik missile: The threat also targets Bucharest, Warsaw or Budapest / “An essential question for Europe”

The President of Ukraine claims that Russia's use of the Oreșnik ballistic missile also represents a direct threat to Warsaw, Bucharest or Budapest: “The situation brings back to the fore an essential question for Europe: is there, currently, a mechanism for joint action and collective defense that actually works?”.

Zelensky's message, posted on the X network, comes after Moscow's attack on Ukraine on Thursday night into Friday, which included the use of a medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile.

“Doubt remains in many European capitals about the ability of existing systems to react quickly”

Zelensky says Russia is taking advantage of the cold snap to step up attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, trying to cause massive blackouts and paralyze entire cities. Moscow's strategy aims to hit as many energy facilities as possible simultaneously, in order to increase the pressure on the civilian population, says the president of Ukraine.

The Russians are exploiting the cold snap – trying to hit as many of our energy facilities as possible. So much for their respect for America and all diplomacy. The main Russian tactic is to try to completely shut down cities.

Oreshnik was used again – this time against the Lviv… pic.twitter.com/I53NaCwBLC

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Volodymyr Zelenskyy (@ZelenskyyUa) January 9, 2026

“In this context, Russian forces again used the Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile, this time against the Lviv region. The attack took place in close proximity to the borders of the European Union, a gesture perceived as a deliberate signal addressed to the member states.

The use of such weapons raises major security concerns for the entire region.

From the perspective of the range of ballistic missiles, the threat is not limited to Ukraine, but directly targets European capitals such as Warsaw, Bucharest or Budapest.

Observers point out that the absence of credible justifications from Moscow for the use of this type of weaponry indicates a calculated escalation. In this context, diplomacy, personal relationships, or political rhetoric offer little guarantee of protection against unpredictable behavior.

The situation brings back to the fore an essential question for Europe: is there currently a mechanism for joint action and collective defense that actually works? Doubt remains in many European capitals about the ability of existing systems to react quickly and decisively in the event of a sudden escalation by the Kremlin,” said Volodymyr Zelensky.

Moscow says it hit Ukraine overnight with an Oreshnik missile in response to an alleged attack on Putin's residence, claiming it hit drone factories and power plants, according to the Kyiv Post.

In all, Russia launched a barrage of 242 drones and 36 missiles overnight Thursday into Friday, including a medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile, to target Ukraine's critical infrastructure in Friday night attacks, the Ukrainian air force said.

Ukrainian air defenses shot down 226 drones and 18 missiles, Kiev's military said. According to the cited source, 18 missiles and 16 attack drones hit their targets in 19 locations.