Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned on Saturday that Russia could be preparing a large-scale missile attack on Ukraine using the hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile.
Zelenskyy said Ukrainian intelligence agencies, along with officials from the United States and Europe, had identified signs of possible preparations for a combined strike involving several categories of weapons.
The warning came one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed his military to prepare retaliatory measures following a drone strike on a student dormitory in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine’s military denied responsibility for the attack.
Zelenskyy Raises Alarm Over Possible Missile Assault
In a post on X, Zelenskyy said intelligence reports suggested that Russia may target Ukrainian territory, including the capital Kyiv, with advanced missile systems.
“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,” Zelenskyy said.
He warned that Russia could use intermediate-range ballistic missiles as part of the operation.
Our intelligence services reported receiving data, including from American and European partners, about Russia preparing a strike with the Oreshnik missile. We are verifying this information.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 23, 2026
We are seeing signs of preparation for a combined strike on Ukrainian territory,…
Russia Has Already Used Oreshnik Missile Twice
Russia has already launched the Oreshnik missile against Ukraine on two occasions. Putin previously claimed that the hypersonic missile travels at more than 10 times the speed of sound and cannot be intercepted.
Moscow first used the missile in November 2024 against what Russian authorities described as a military factory in Ukraine. However, Ukrainian officials later said the missile carried dummy warheads instead of explosives and caused limited destruction.
Russia carried out the second Oreshnik strike in January 2026. That attack targeted the Lviv region in western Ukraine. The missile has drawn international attention because of its speed and the difficulty of intercepting it using current air defence systems.
Zelenskyy Calls for Preventive Global Response
Zelenskyy urged Western allies to react before any possible strike takes place. He warned that continued use of such advanced weapons could create dangerous global consequences.
”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,” Zelenskyy said.
He stressed that Ukraine expects action from international partners before the situation escalates further.
Zelenskyy added that Kyiv hopes for a response from the world that is “not post factum, but preventive.”
European Leaders Earlier Condemned Oreshnik Use
Earlier this year, the leaders of Britain, France, and Germany strongly criticized Russia’s use of the Oreshnik missile in western Ukraine.
The three countries described the attack as “escalatory and unacceptable” and expressed concern over the growing use of advanced ballistic weapons during the conflict.
Zelenskyy said the international community must increase pressure on Moscow to stop the war from expanding further.
According to the Ukrainian president, stronger diplomatic and political action is necessary to prevent a wider regional or global security crisis.