Russia Deploys Oreshnik Hypersonic Missile Against Ukraine

Russian forces have reportedly launched an Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile strike against Ukraine, according to multiple Ukrainian media outlets and Telegram channels that circulated videos showing bright objects descending vertically followed by powerful flashes in the Belaya Tserkov area. The strike came just days after President Vladimir Putin ordered the Defense Ministry to prepare retaliation options following a Ukrainian drone attack on a student dormitory in Russian-controlled Starobilsk, Luhansk region, that killed at least 21 people. The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv had earlier warned American citizens of a potentially significant air attack within 24 hours, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy cited intelligence from Ukraine, the United States, and Europe confirming preparations for a combined strike involving the Oreshnik missile and other weaponry. Zelenskiy called on the international community to apply pressure on Moscow to prevent the war from expanding. "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," he stated. Ukraine's military has denied responsibility for the Starobilsk dormitory strike, asserting that it targeted a Russian drone unit in the area rather than civilians. Russia has now deployed the Oreshnik system three times against Ukraine, with previous attacks in November 2024 against a military factory in Dnepropetrovsk and in January 2026 targeting an aviation plant in the western Lviv region. The Oreshnik missile, which Putin has described as practically impossible to intercept due to its reported speed exceeding 10 times the speed of sound, has drawn condemnation from Western leaders. The leaders of Britain, France, and Germany previously described its use as "escalatory and unacceptable." Russia has also deployed the missile system to Belarus, which borders three NATO member states: Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland. Zelenskiy emphasized that Ukraine counts on a preventive response from the world rather than one that comes after an attack has already occurred.