More air defense and tougher sanctions needed: Brussels responds to new strike by Oreshnik

It is necessary to provide air defense equipment to Ukraine and increase the cost of war for Moscow, said the head of the European Union diplomacy Kaja Kallas. The official wrote this in response to a new Russian strike with an Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile in the Lviv region.

"[Russian dictator] Putin doesn’t want peace, Russia’s reply to diplomacy is more missiles and destruction. This deadly pattern of recurring major Russian strikes will repeat itself until we help Ukraine break it," the official said.

According to Kallas, Russia's reported use of Oreshnik is "a clear escalation against Ukraine and is intended as a warning to Europe and the United States."

The official added that EU countries should take a deeper look at their air defense stockpiles and provide such weapons immediately.

"We must also further raise the cost of this war for Moscow, including through tougher sanctions," the EU diplomat concluded.

• Late in the evening of January 8 in Lviv were heard powerful explosions. The regional administration reported that a critical infrastructure facility was hit.
• Subsequently, Russia officially recognized a new strike on Ukraine by the Oreshnik – allegedly in response to fictional the same "attack" on Putin's residence.
• The SSU published photo of the wreckage of the Oreshnik and qualified this strike as a war crime. Meanwhile, Ukraine is initiating urgent meeting UN Security Council and the NATO-Ukraine Council.
• In total, on the night of January 9, Russia launched 36 missiles and 242 drones. The occupiers carried out a combined attack in Kyiv: there are dead and injured.