Oreshnik-Powered Assault on Kyiv

On the night of 24 May 2026, Russia launched a massive strike on Kyiv and its environs, deploying roughly 600 attack drones and 90 missiles of various types. Among them was a hypersonic Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile that struck the city of Bila Tserkva in the Kyiv region. Ukrainian air defenses reported destroying 549 drones and jamming 55 missiles; 19 missiles failed to reach any target.

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The combined barrage damaged 40-50 sites across Kyiv’s districts, including residential blocks, schools, a market, a water-supply facility, supermarkets, warehouses, and several government buildings. Reported civilian deaths range from 2 to 4, while injury counts vary between 56 and 100 people. The Kyiv City Military Administration listed 83 injured, and the mayor confirmed 56 wounded in the capital plus two additional deaths in the surrounding region.

Newsweek

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced the attack as “genuinely deranged,” demanded accountability, and warned that Ukraine’s shortage of interceptors hampers its defence. Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed the Oreshnik use, saying the strikes hit “military command and control facilities, air bases and military-industrial enterprises” in retaliation for Ukrainian actions. President Vladimir Putin said the missile travels “like a meteorite” at Mach 10 and cannot be intercepted. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the use a “political scare-tactic and reckless nuclear brinkmanship.” French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the escalation as a “dead-end” and “reckless.” Ukrainian Ambassador Andrii Melnyk rejected Russian war-crime accusations as a “pure propaganda show.”

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Kyiv resident Svitlana Onofryichuk (55) said, “It was a terrible night, and there had never been anything like it in the entire war,” adding she would likely leave the city. Yevhen Zosin (74) recounted being thrown back “like a pin” by the shock wave, noting his apartment was destroyed and his dog survived.

CBC News

Casualty figures differ across outlets, with some sources citing two deaths and others four. Injured counts also vary. While most agencies confirm the Oreshnik’s deployment, a few reports initially questioned its use. The precise military target of the missile remains undisclosed.

Russia Strikes Kyiv With Oreshnik Missile in Major Attack

• “They are genuinely deranged.” — Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine

Moscow Times

• “Russia hit a dead-end on the battlefield, so it terrorises Ukraine with deliberate strikes on city centres,” — Kaja Kallas, EU foreign policy chief

WION

• “Kyiv resident Svitlana Onofryichuk (55) said: “It was a terrible night, and there had never been anything like it in the entire war.” — Svitlana Onofryichuk, Kyiv resident

The Irish Times

The EU will convene foreign ministers within days to discuss “dialing up” pressure on Moscow. Kyiv continues to request additional Patriot and other anti-ballistic interceptors, stressing that uninterrupted air-defence deliveries are “critically important” for future resilience.

UsNews and World Report