Russia May Launch Oreshnik Missile at Ukraine on Friday, Air Force Warns
Kyiv Post • • world
Key Points:
- Ukraine’s Air Force has warned of a high probability that Russia may launch a medium-range ballistic missile from the Kapustin Yar test range, urging civilians to heed air raid alerts and seek shelter.
- Russian military drills involving four-hour Oreshnik missile launches are currently underway, with the exercises believed to be training launches, though the public is advised to remain vigilant.
- The warning follows a large-scale Russian aerial assault on May 24, when 600 drones and 90 missiles, including two Oreshnik ballistic missiles, were launched against Ukraine.
- One Oreshnik missile reportedly struck near Bila Tserkva, south of Kyiv, while the other landed in Russian-occupied Donetsk; Russian President Putin claimed the strike targeted a “shed” for observational purposes.
- Russian media has promoted the Oreshnik missile as a powerful weapon capable of penetrating deep targets, but independent assessments have questioned these claims.