Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russia may be preparing a major combined assault on Kyiv involving the feared Oreshnik hypersonic missile system.
Citing intelligence gathered from Ukrainian, American and European sources, Zelensky claimed Moscow could deploy the medium-range ballistic missile as part of a wider attack targeting Ukrainian territory.
The warning was posted on social media, where Zelensky urged civilians to take air raid alerts seriously and seek shelter immediately if necessary.
“We are seeing signs of preparation for a combined strike on Ukrainian territory, including Kyiv, involving various types of weaponry,” he said.
He added that the Oreshnik missile system could be included in the operation and warned that “Russian madness truly knows no bounds”.
The Oreshnik missile — reportedly capable of carrying nuclear warheads — is believed to be one of Russia’s most advanced hypersonic weapons.
Military analysts claim the missile can travel at around 10 times the speed of sound, making interception extremely difficult.
Reports have suggested the missile could potentially reach the United Kingdom within approximately 11 minutes if launched from certain locations.
The warning came shortly after a deadly drone strike in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region killed 18 people and injured dozens more.
Russian authorities blamed Ukraine for the attack, though Ukraine’s military denied responsibility.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has since reportedly ordered military officials to prepare retaliatory options.
The Oreshnik missile was first publicly unveiled by Putin in late 2024 after Russia used it during an attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
At the time, Ukrainian officials claimed the missile carried dummy warheads and caused limited physical damage despite triggering explosions for several hours.
Russia later relocated the missile system to neighbouring Belarus in late 2025, placing it on active combat duty and increasing concerns across Europe over the weapon’s potential reach.
Western leaders, including officials from Britain, France and Germany, previously described Russia’s use of the Oreshnik missile as “escalatory and unacceptable”.
Zelensky also urged the United States and European allies to respond before any potential attack takes place.
“We count on a response from the world that is preventive, not one that comes after the fact,” he said.
Security experts have warned that escalating threats involving hypersonic weapons and nuclear-capable systems could further heighten tensions between Russia and NATO, raising fears of broader regional instability.
