News Desk: Russia on Sunday officially confirmed that it used the nuclear-capable Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile during one of the biggest overnight assaults on Ukraine since the war began, marking a sharp escalation in the ongoing conflict and raising alarm across Europe over Moscow’s expanding use of advanced strategic weapons.
The Russian Defence Ministry said the strikes were carried out in retaliation for what it described as Ukrainian “terrorist attacks” on civilian infrastructure inside Russian territory. Moscow claimed its forces launched a massive coordinated barrage using Oreshnik ballistic missiles, Iskander missiles, Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, and Tsirkon cruise missiles.
The overnight attack triggered explosions across several Ukrainian regions, with Kyiv emerging as the primary target. Residential buildings, schools, markets, and public infrastructure were reportedly damaged as missiles and drones pounded the capital through the night.
Missiles Hitting Kyiv Overnight
It’s the third time that Russia has used the Oreshnik against Ukrainian targets; once in a city near the Polish border, and the other, on the central city of Dnipro. It’s the first time the missile was fired at the Kyiv region. pic.twitter.com/imlbCfldPl
— Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (@RFERL) May 24, 2026
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia launched around 90 missiles of different types, many of them ballistic, along with nearly 600 drones in the assault. He admitted that not all incoming ballistic missiles could be intercepted, adding that Kyiv suffered the heaviest damage.
According to Ukrainian officials, at least four people were killed while dozens were injured in the strikes. Emergency crews were deployed across multiple districts as fires broke out in residential and commercial areas.
Videos circulating on social media appeared to show a powerful missile strike hitting central Kyiv, followed by a massive flash that illuminated the night sky.
Zelenskyy claimed Russia also targeted the city of Bila Tserkva near Kyiv using the Oreshnik missile, one of Moscow’s newest and most advanced ballistic systems. Calling for stronger international support, he urged the United States and European allies to take decisive action against Russia’s growing missile offensive.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the barrage as one of the largest acts of “terror” against Kyiv since the war escalated. He said several other regions, including Cherkasy, Kharkiv, Odesa, Poltava, Sumy, Zhytomyr, and Kropyvnytskyi, also came under attack.
The strikes drew strong condemnation from European leaders. French President Emmanuel Macron accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure and warned that the deployment of the Oreshnik missile represented a “dangerous escalation” in the war. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the attack reflected the Kremlin’s “brutality and disregard for human life and peace efforts.”
What is the Oreshnik missile?
The Oreshnik is a Russian road-mobile intermediate-range ballistic missile believed to possess MIRV (Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle) capability, allowing it to carry multiple warheads. Defence analysts believe it is derived from the RS-26 Rubezh missile platform.
Military experts say the missile is designed to penetrate advanced air-defence systems at hypersonic speeds and is capable of carrying nuclear payloads. Russia reportedly first used the Oreshnik system against Ukraine in late 2024 before deploying it again in 2026, signalling a new phase in Moscow’s evolving missile warfare strategy.
