KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned Saturday that Russia may be preparing a strike on Ukrainian territory using the hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile, citing intelligence shared by Ukraine, the United States and European partners.
The alert followed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s order for the military to ready retaliation options after a drone strike hit a student dormitory in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region; Ukraine’s armed forces denied responsibility for that attack. Zelenskiy said signs point to preparations for a combined assault that could target multiple areas, including Kyiv, and involve intermediate-range weapons such as the Oreshnik.
Moscow has used the Oreshnik in two prior attacks on Ukraine. The first, in November 2024, struck what Russia described as a military factory and according to Ukrainian sources, carried dummy warheads and caused limited damage. A second Oreshnik hit the Lviv region in January 2026. Russian officials, including President Putin, have touted the missile’s extreme speed, asserting it travels at more than ten times the speed of sound and is effectively unstoppable.
Zelenskiy urged international partners to treat the threat as a matter of global concern, saying the deployment of such weapons would set a dangerous precedent for other potential aggressors. He called for preventive action, not only responses after attacks, and said diplomatic and other pressure should be applied to deter Moscow from widening the conflict.
Western leaders have previously condemned Russia’s use of the Oreshnik: Britain, France and Germany described the January strike in western Ukraine as “escalatory and unacceptable.” Kyiv says it is coordinating with allies in the United States and Europe as it monitors the reported preparations.