Russian dictator Vladimir Putin said the Oreshnik
intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) struck a “shed” near Kyiv to “see
how the blocks lay,” claiming all three uses of the weapon against Ukraine were
for testing purposes.
Putin made the remark during a propaganda event on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 4.
He said there has been no “combat” use of the Oreshnik “in the full sense of the word,” but added he “does not rule out future decisions on the full-scale use of the Oreshnik against targets, including in urban areas.”
There are three confirmed Russian launches of Oreshnik IRBMs
against Ukraine:
- Dnipro — Nov. 21, 2024
- Lviv — Jan. 8, 2026
- Bila Tserkva, Kyiv Oblast — May 24, 2026
Russian authorities say all of the launches used inert warheads without explosive charges.
The Kyiv regional prosecutor’s office said that during the
overnight strike on May 24, an Oreshnik missile damaged a garage cooperative in
Bila Tserkva.