Zelenskyy Warns of Oreshnik Airstrike Threat to Kyiv
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia is likely preparing an airstrike on Ukraine with the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, and he singled out Kyiv as a possible target. He told Ukrainians to treat air-raid warnings carefully from the evening of 23 May and to use shelters.
Zelenskyy said the warning came from intelligence services, including data from American and European partners. In a message released on 23 May, he said Ukraine was seeing signs of a combined strike on Ukrainian territory that could involve several types of weaponry.
Zelenskyy’s warning on Kyiv
The president said the intelligence pointed to Russia preparing a strike with the Oreshnik missile, while Ukraine was preparing its air defence as much as possible. His public warning was direct: “Russian madness truly knows no bounds, so please protect your lives – use shelters”.
Zelenskyy also said the potential use of such weapons, and the prolongation of the war, sets a global precedent for other potential aggressors. In his words, “If Russia is allowed to destroy lives on such a scale, then no agreement will restrain other similar hatred-based regimes from aggression and strikes. We count on a response from the world – and on a response that is not post factum, but preventive. Pressure must be put on Moscow so that it does not expand the war”.
What Ukraine is preparing
Ukraine’s immediate response, as Zelenskyy described it, is to strengthen air defence and warn people to react consciously to air-raid alerts. He said that from the evening of 23 May onward, Ukrainians should use shelters if warnings sound, and he added, “We have given permission for a parade, but Russia has no permission for madness. This war must be ended – we need peace, not some missiles satisfying the sick ambitions of one individual. I thank everyone helping to protect lives. Once again, please take care of yourselves and use shelters tonight.”
The friction in the warning is that Zelenskyy said the information is still being verified, even as he urged immediate precautions. That leaves Kyiv residents with a practical choice already: respond to alerts, follow shelter instructions, and treat the next warning as something to act on, not ignore.
For Ukrainians in Kyiv and across the country, the next step is built into Zelenskyy’s own message: air-raid warnings from the evening of 23 May onward should be taken seriously while Ukraine’s air defence remains on alert.
