Ukraine’s Parliament Suspends Session Amid Alleged Russian Missile Threat
Ukraine’s parliament suspended its session on Friday, citing an alleged threat of a Russian missile attack on the capital, Al Jazeera reports.
The decision followed the temporary closure of several foreign embassies in Kyiv due to the heightened risk.
MP Mykyta Poturaiev confirmed the closure, saying that recommendations were issued to limit operations for commercial offices and NGOs within the affected area, and that residents were warned of increased danger. However, fellow MP Oleksiy Goncharenko criticized the move, calling it “ridiculous” and claiming it fueled panic. Zelensky’s spokesperson confirmed that his office remained operational.
The parliament’s closure comes on the heels of Russia’s statement that it launched a new hypersonic missile at the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Thursday. The Kremlin characterized the strike, using the newly developed Oreshnik (“hazel tree”) missile, as a warning to the West, stressing it was a response to Ukraine’s use of US and UK-supplied missiles in attacks on Russian territory. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov asserted that Russia notified the US 30 minutes before the launch, despite not being legally obligated to do so.
Ukraine’s spy agency reported the missile flew for 15 minutes, reaching speeds exceeding Mach 11 and carrying six warheads, each with six submunitions. Peskov maintained Putin’s openness to dialogue, contrasting it with what he termed US President Joe Biden’s preference for escalation.
