Ukraine says U.S. warned of possible Russian Oreshnik missile launch before June 14
Ukraine's defense ministry reported a U.S. alert that Russia could fire an Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile within 24 hours, following a previous strike on June 12.
Ukraine's armed forces said they received a warning from the United States that Russia may launch an Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile before June 14, likely from the Kapustin Yar range in the Astrakhan region. The alert was reported by Ukrainian outlets Zerkalo Nedeli and RBC-Ukraine, citing a government source, though the U.S. embassy in Kyiv has not issued a public statement.
The ministry warned on June 12 of a "high probability" of a missile launch within the next 24 hours. Russia last used an Oreshnik missile against Ukraine on May 24, striking near Bila Tserkva, about 80 km south of Kyiv. President Vladimir Putin later described that strike as a test, saying it was aimed at a barn to observe how the warhead behaved.
Prior to the May attack, Russia employed the Oreshnik system twice: in November 2024 against the Yuzhmash plant in Dnipro and in January 2026 against the Lviv region. No casualty figures have been released for any of the strikes.
