Belgium’s foreign minister Maxime Prévot has sharply condemned Russia following a wave of deadly strikes across Ukraine, saying the scale and nature of the attacks contradict

any claim that Moscow seeks peace.

“Russia does not attack cities like this because it wants peace,” Prévot said, reacting to the latest overnight bombardment that hit Kyiv and several other regions.

According to Ukrainian authorities, the capital was the primary target of a large-scale assault involving hundreds of incoming weapons. Officials in Kyiv reported that around 600 drones and 90 missiles were launched in a single night, with strikes hitting residential neighbourhoods, schools, a market, and key infrastructure. Several people were killed.

Prévot described the attacks as indiscriminate and deliberately aimed at civilians. “Whatever narrative Russia may put forward, the facts remain clear: civilians were struck, residential areas were hit, and there is no justification for attacks that terrorize an entire population,” he wrote. He also pointed to the reported use of an Oreshnik missile, calling it a “chilling signal” and warning that such weapons are designed not only to destroy, but to intimidate and wear down civilian morale.

Russia confirmed on Sunday that it had fired an Oreshnik missile at Ukraine. The weapon is described as a medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads. With reported speeds exceeding 12,000 km/h and a range of up to 5,000 kilometres, analysts say it represents a significant escalation and a potential threat beyond Ukraine, including to parts of Europe.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also condemned the strikes, arguing that Russia’s battlefield strategy is increasingly focused on civilian terror rather than military gain. “Russia hit a dead-end on the battlefield, so it terrorizes Ukraine with deliberate strikes on city centers,” she said.

The latest escalation comes amid continued international concern over the intensity of Russia’s air campaign and its growing reliance on long-range and high-speed missile systems targeting urban areas. Photo by Dsns.gov.ua, Wikimedia commons.