Zelenskyy says intelligence indicates Russia might be preparing to use Oreshnik hypersonic missile
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv sent an alert about a "potentially significant" attack.
By Natalia Kushnir, Othon Leyva, and Claire Bower
May 23, 2026, 5:28 PM
Ukraine is working to verify intelligence from the United States and others that suggests Russia is preparing to use a hypersonic ballistic missile system, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday.
"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," Zelenskyy said in a post on X.
"We are preparing our air defense as much as possible, and we will respond fully justly to every Russian strike," he added.
Ukraine launches hundreds of drones in deadly attack targeting Russia, Moscow says
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv issued a security alert on Saturday warning of a "potentially significant" air attack on Ukraine within the next 24 hours.
"The embassy, as always, recommends U.S. citizens be prepared to immediately shelter in the event an air alert is announced," the embassy said in a statement.
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin alleged said several were killed and dozens injured, as a result of Ukrainian drone strikes on a college dormitory in Starobilsk in the Luhansk People's Republic.
The Russian president said he requested proposals from his military to respond to Ukrainian drone strikes in Starobilsk.
"It is impossible to limit ourselves to statements from the Foreign Ministry alone. Therefore, the Russian Defense Ministry has been ordered to present its proposals," Putin said in remarks to military graduates on Friday.
Ukraine's military denied Russian accusations it attacked the dorm saying on social media it struck one of the headquarters of a Russian military drone unit called "Rubicon."
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The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in a Facebook post, describing "Rubicon" as a drone unit that regularly targets Ukrainian civilians and accusing Russian media of spreading "manipulative information" -- adding Kyiv only targets military infrastructure and complies with international humanitarian law.
