13,000 kmph, 6 warheads: Why Ukraine couldn't stop this deadly Russian missile

Team TOI PlusTIMESOFINDIA.COM
May 25, 2026 | 20:12 IST

Russia on May 24 struck Ukraine with an Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile — a weapon Kyiv currently has no capability to intercept. Here’s what we know about this nuclear-capable missile

Hours before Russia’s massive bombardment of Ukraine on May 24, Kyiv received intelligence from the US and European allies about a deadly weapon Moscow was preparing to deploy, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The warnings may have helped Ukraine brace for the attack and limit casualties, even though the country remained largely defenceless when a Russian Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile struck south of Kyiv.
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