UN Security Council to convene for emergency meeting over Oreshnik attack on Ukraine

The UN Security Council will meet on Monday to discuss the situation in Ukraine following Russia's latest massive strikes and the use of an Oreshnik ballistic missile.

That is according to AFP, Ukrinform reports.

Ukraine's request for the emergency UNSC meeting was supported by six members – France, Latvia, Denmark, Greece, Liberia and the United Kingdom – diplomatic sources told AFP.

According to the updated schedule, the UN Security Council will meet on Monday, January 12, at Ukraine's request.

"The Russian Federation has reached an appalling new level of war crimes and crimes against humanity by its terror against civilians. The Russian Federation regime officially claims that it used an intermediate-range ballistic missile, the so-called 'Oreshnik', against the Lviv region," Ukrainian Ambassador Andriy Melnyk said in a letter to the Security Council seen by AFP on Friday.

The letter emphasizes that such a strike "represents a grave and unprecedented threat to the security of the European continent."

Read also: Russia deliberately used Oreshnik missile close to EU border – Zelensky

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on January 9 that Ukraine had initiated an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council, as well as responses within the EU, the Council of Europe, and the OSCE regarding Russia's use of a medium-range ballistic missile against the Lviv region.

Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that on the night of January 8-9, Ukraine was struck, including with a medium-range Oreshnik ballistic missile. The Russian Defense Ministry described this as retaliation for an alleged attack on Putin's residence in Valdai on the night of December 29, 2025.

Ukraine's Air Command West reported that the ballistic missile used to strike Lviv on January 8 was traveling at a speed of 13,000 kilometers per hour. The exact type of missile used will be determined after examining all of its components.

European countries responded to the attack. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said that the Russian authorities' claims about using the Oreshnik missile are "a clear escalation against Ukraine and meant as a warning to Europe and to the U.S."

Ukrinform photos are available for purchase here.