Russia Set to Launch Hypersonic Oreshnik Missile Strike on Ukraine, Zelenskiy Warns
Escalating Tensions and Missile Threats in the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Zelenskiy's Warning and Intelligence Reports
KYIV, May 23 (Reuters) - Russia is preparing a strike against Ukraine using a hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday, citing intelligence from Ukraine, the U.S. and Europe.
Background to the Retaliatory Threat
The warning came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military to prepare options for retaliation against Ukraine for a drone strike on a student dorm in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine's military denied responsibility for that attack.
Potential Targets and Weaponry
"We are seeing signs of preparation for a combined strike on Ukrainian territory, including Kyiv, involving various types of weaponry. The specified intermediate-range weapons could be used in such a strike," Zelenskiy said in an X post that did not mention the drone attack.
Oreshnik Missile: Capabilities and Previous Use
Russia has already attacked Ukraine twice with the Oreshnik, a missile which President Vladimir Putin has boasted is impossible to intercept because of its reported velocity of more than 10 times the speed of sound.
First Recorded Use
Moscow first fired an Oreshnik against what it said was a military factory in Ukraine in November 2024. On that occasion Ukrainian sources said the missile was carrying dummy warheads, not explosives, and caused limited damage.
Second Recorded Use
The second attack was in January 2026, and the missile struck Lviv region in the west of the country.
International Reactions and Calls for Action
"We are drawing the attention of our partners in the United States and in Europe to the fact that the use of such weapons and the prolongation of this war also sets a global precedent for other potential aggressors," Zelenskiy said.
European Leaders' Response
The leaders of Britain, France and Germany in January described Russia's use of an Oreshnik ballistic missile in western Ukraine as "escalatory and unacceptable".
Ukraine's Appeal for Preventive Measures
Zelenskiy said that Kyiv counts on a response from the world and on a "response that is not post factum, but preventive."
Pressure must be put on Moscow so that it does not expand the war, he added.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Andrew Heavens)
