Russia Fires Oreshnik Hypersonic Ballistic Missile at Bila Tserkva — Third Wartime Use of Nuclear-Capable Weapon

As part of the May 24, 2026 mass attack on Ukraine, Russia fired an RS-26 Rubizh 'Oreshnik' intermediate-range ballistic missile from the Kapustin Yar test range in Astrakhan Oblast, targeting Bila Tserkva in Kyiv Oblast, approximately 50 km south of the capital. This was the third wartime use of the Oreshnik in the war: it was first used against Dnipro on November 21, 2024; second against infrastructure in Lviv Oblast on January 9, 2026; and now against Bila Tserkva on May 24, 2026. The Oreshnik features multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs), reaching speeds of up to Mach 10-13 that make it nearly impossible to intercept with current Ukrainian air defenses. The missile is nuclear-capable, and Russia's use of it carries deliberate strategic signaling value — threatening nuclear escalation while delivering conventional warheads. President Zelensky confirmed the Oreshnik use in a formal statement. The deployment of an intermediate-range nuclear-capable ballistic missile against a city 50 km from Ukraine's capital represented a significant escalation in Russia's efforts to terrorize the Ukrainian civilian population and signal to Western partners the limits of their involvement.