Attack on Bila Tserkva
In the early hours of May 24, Russian forces launched a strike on the city of Bila Tserkva, located in the Kyiv region. The attack was carried out using an RS-26 Rubezh (Oreshnik) intermediate-range ballistic missile. This marks the third time this missile has been deployed against Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the weapon's use, noting that the missile was fired from the Kapustin Yar test site.
The assault damaged a garage cooperative and several industrial buildings in the Bila Tserkva district. The Oreshnik missile, a modification of the Rubezh system, is equipped with six independently targetable reentry vehicles. Each of these carries six submunitions, resulting in a total of 36 impact elements. When used against Ukraine, the missile is configured with a high-explosive payload, ruling out a nuclear warhead. The primary destruction comes from the immense kinetic energy of heavy metal components striking at extremely high speeds.
Technical Details and Threat Level
During the terminal phase of its trajectory, the missile can reach speeds exceeding 12,000 to 13,000 kilometers per hour, making it extremely difficult to intercept with standard air defense systems. The Oreshnik was first used against Dnipro on November 21, 2024, and then against the Lviv region on January 9, 2026. The cost of a single Oreshnik missile is estimated between $30 and $50 million, though some Western analysts suggest figures as high as $90 to $150 million per combat launch.
On May 23, the day before the attack, President Zelenskyy warned that Russia was preparing to strike with the Oreshnik missile, based on intelligence shared by the United States and European partners. This information highlights the serious threat these ballistic missiles pose to Ukraine amid the ongoing war.
The strike on Bila Tserkva demonstrates Russia's continued use of advanced weaponry, underscoring Ukraine's urgent need to bolster its air defense capabilities. Given such attacks, the importance of international support and intelligence sharing grows, as Ukraine must remain prepared for emerging threats. The Oreshnik missiles not only cause severe physical destruction but also exert psychological pressure on the population, emphasizing the critical need for effective defense measures and the prevention of similar strikes in the future.
The recent missile strike on Bila Tserkva is part of a broader pattern of escalating attacks across Ukraine. Just a day before, Kyiv experienced a significant assault involving nearly 600 drones and 90 missiles, resulting in numerous injuries. This increase in aggression highlights the urgent need for understanding the evolving threat landscape. For a detailed account of the devastating impact of the attack on Kyiv, you can read more here.