Russia launched a large-scale overnight assault on Kyiv using drones and missiles, including the hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday, marking the third reported use of the weapon in the war.
The attack late Saturday into Sunday rattled the Ukrainian capital, with explosions heard across the city. The attack caused minor damage to Ukraine’s Cabinet building and the Foreign Ministry.
Kyiv’s National Art Museum and Philharmonic Hall, both in the city center, were severely damaged, along with several other historic buildings nearby. One strike also destroyed a recently opened museum dedicated to the 1986 Chornobyl nuclear disaster.
Two women killed. Dozens wounded. Yet another vile strike by Moscow against Kyiv and its residents.
Last night, the Russians targeted the very heart of our capital. The National Art Museum, the Philharmonic, the Music Academy, and the Yaroslav the Wise Library were badly… pic.twitter.com/cFyK0ogkNz
— Kyrylo Budanov (@Kyrylo_Budanov) May 24, 2026
At least four people were killed and about 100 others were injured across Ukraine.
I am grateful to all our services currently working at the sites of Russia’s overnight strikes: units of the State Emergency Service, the National Police, and municipal services. Everyone is acting as effectively as possible, given the scale of the attack and its consequences:… pic.twitter.com/m6hLSNeEJc
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 24, 2026
According to Ukraine’s air force, Russia launched 600 strike drones and 90 missiles of various types during the attack. It said air defenses intercepted 549 drones and 55 missiles.
Zelenskyy said the Oreshnik missile struck the city of Bila Tserkva in the Kyiv region, south of the capital. He did not immediately provide details on the extent of the damage.
BREAKING:
Russia just attacked Bila Tserkva in Ukraine with an Oreshnik Intermedium Range Ballistic Missile. pic.twitter.com/nddWzuPpjr
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) May 23, 2026
Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed the use of the Oreshnik, saying the strike was part of a broader attack targeting Ukrainian military command sites, airbases and defense-related facilities.
It also said the strikes were carried out in response to Ukrainian attacks on what it described as “civilian facilities on Russian territory.”
NEW angle of Russian Oreshnik missile strike on Ukraine’s Bila Tserkva.
The likely target was the local airfield. pic.twitter.com/8FqM5QAHqb
— Clash Report (@clashreport) May 24, 2026
The Oreshnik missile, capable of carrying either nuclear or conventional warheads, can reach speeds of up to 10 times the speed of sound, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia first used the missile operationally in November 2024, when it struck the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, hitting an industrial facility and a rehabilitation center for people with disabilities.
Russia also said it used other weapons during the weekend strike on Ukraine, including Iskander, Kinzhal, and Zircon missiles.
