Ukraine has received information from the United States that Russia may launch an Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile before June 14, the Ukrainian news outlets Zerkalo Nedeli and RBC-Ukraine reported, citing a source in the Ukrainian government.
Russia warned “the United States and partners” of a possible strike, the outlets said, though they did not specify who exactly was notified. As of publication, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv had issued no official warning.
Ukraine’s Armed Forces warned on June 12 of a “high probability” that Russia would launch a medium-range ballistic missile from the Kapustin Yar firing range in Russia’s Astrakhan region within the next 24 hours.
Russia last launched an Oreshnik at Ukraine on May 24. Ukraine’s Armed Forces said the Oreshnik strike hit the area near Bila Tserkva (about 80 kilometers south of Kyiv). Later, however, Vladimir Putin said the use of the weapon was not combat use. One of the strikes, he said, was carried out on a “barn” to see “how the missile’s warhead blocks landed.” “We struck where it was convenient to see the result,” Putin said.
Before the May 24 strike, Russia had used the Oreshnik twice: the first time in November 2024 to strike the Yuzhmash factory in Dnipro, and the second time in January 2026 to strike the Lviv region. No casualty figures from any of the strikes have been made public.
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