Russia has reportedly utilized its Oreshnik hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) for a second time in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, striking targets in the western Lviv region on January 8, 2026. This deployment follows its initial combat use on November 21, 2024, against the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. The Oreshnik, which means 'hazel shrub' in Russian, is characterized by its reported speed exceeding Mach 10 (over 12,300 km/h or 7,610 mph), making it notoriously difficult for existing air defense systems to intercept due to its high speed and suborbital altitude trajectory. The missile is believed to be derived from the RS-26 Rubezh IRBM and carries multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRV), capable of deploying up to six warheads, which can be conventional or nuclear. While the November 2024 strike reportedly involved inert or dummy warheads causing limited damage, the nature of the warheads in the recent Lviv attack remains unclear, though it was part of a larger barrage targeting critical infrastructure. Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously asserted that the Oreshnik is impossible to intercept and possesses destructive power comparable to a nuclear weapon even with conventional payloads, though some Western experts view these claims as potentially exaggerated, considering it an experimental weapon not necessarily a battlefield 'game-changer'. The latest Oreshnik launch, which Russia claims was in retaliation for an alleged Ukrainian drone attack on Putin's residence (a claim denied by Ukraine and the US), is widely seen as a significant psychological message aimed at intimidating Ukraine and its Western allies, particularly amidst ongoing peace discussions and proposals for increased Western military support to Kyiv. Russia had reportedly pre-notified the United States before the November 2024 launch through nuclear risk reduction channels, though it is unclear if this protocol was followed for the latest strike. The missile's deployment also raises concerns about violations of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, from which both the US and Russia withdrew.