Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warns Russia is preparing a strike with a hypersonic Oreshnik missile, prompting the US Embassy in Kyiv to issue an alert for a "significant air attack." The threat follows a Russian vow of retaliation for a deadly drone strike on a Luhansk student dorm, for which Ukraine denies responsibility. Russia has used the Oreshnik, which it claims is unstoppable, twice before.
Oreshnik hypersonic missile strike warning
- ▪The Oreshnik missile reportedly travels at more than 10 times the speed of sound, which Vladimir Putin has claimed makes it impossible to intercept
- ▪Russia has previously used the Oreshnik missile against Ukraine twice: in November 2024 and January 2026
- ▪Zelenskyy's warning was based on intelligence from Ukraine, the U.S., and Europe
- ▪In January 2026, the leaders of Britain, France, and Germany described Russia's use of an Oreshnik missile as "escalatory and unacceptable."
- ▪Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned on May 23, 2026, that Russia is preparing a strike using a hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile
- ▪The US Embassy in Kyiv issued a security alert on May 23, 2026, for a "potentially significant air attack" that could occur within 24 hours
- ▪The potential Russian attack is a "combined strike" that could target Kyiv and involve various types of weaponry, including intermediate-range weapons
Luhansk student dorm drone strike
- ▪Russian officials reported the death toll from the Luhansk dorm strike rose to 16, with most victims being young women
- ▪Ukraine's military has denied responsibility for the drone strike on the student dorm in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region
- ▪The warning followed an order from Russian President Vladimir Putin for his military to prepare retaliation for a drone strike on a student dorm in Luhansk
Ukraine seeks preventive international response
- ▪President Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv is counting on a "preventive" international response, rather than one that is "post factum."
- ▪Zelenskyy warned that Russia's use of such weapons sets a "global precedent for other potential aggressors."
Russian hybrid warfare escalation
- ▪UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper warned that Russia's weakening on the battlefield is making it "more reckless and dangerous."
- ▪Cooper said Russia's recklessness includes "escalating attacks on Ukrainian civilians" and "increasing hybrid threats across the continent."
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