Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russia may be preparing another devastating wave of missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian cities, as intelligence reports point to a fresh escalation in Moscow’s aerial campaign.
Speaking after talks with Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, Zelensky said Ukrainian intelligence had shared evidence with allies suggesting Russia is preparing “a new massive strike on Ukrainian cities and communities.”
The warning comes less than a week after one of the largest aerial bombardments of the war, when Russian forces launched around 90 missiles and 600 drones against Kyiv and surrounding regions on May 24.
The attack left parts of the capital shattered. Ukrainian officials said nearly 300 sites were damaged, including apartment blocks, schools, museums, shopping centres and the Lukianivska metro station. Three people were killed, and around 90 were injured.
Zelensky said the latest intelligence reinforced the view that the Kremlin remains committed to escalation rather than diplomacy.
“Russia continues to rely on missiles and prolonged war, not diplomacy,” he said following separate talks with Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, the Kyiv Post reported.
The Ukrainian leader urged Western allies to accelerate the delivery of promised air defence systems, particularly anti-ballistic missile capabilities, warning that delays could leave cities exposed to further mass attacks.
Ukraine’s officials have become increasingly concerned that Russia is intensifying efforts to overwhelm air defences through sustained drone and missile barrages aimed not only at military targets but also at civilian infrastructure and urban centres.
Andrii Kovalenko urged Ukrainians to pay close attention to air raid alerts “in the coming days”, further fuelling fears of another imminent assault.
The latest escalation also saw Russia deploy its new medium-range ballistic missile, the Oreshnik, during the May 24 attack. Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War said Moscow may have launched two such missiles, although one is believed to have malfunctioned and crashed in the occupied Donetsk region.
Following the strikes, Russia’s foreign ministry declared that its forces had begun “systematic” attacks on Ukraine’s military-industrial infrastructure and so-called “decision-making centres” in Kyiv, while simultaneously warning foreign diplomats to leave the capital.
Kyiv dismissed the statements as intimidation.
Sybiha condemned the remarks as “shameless blackmail,” insisting Ukraine and its partners would not be frightened into retreat.
Katarina Mathernova also rejected Moscow’s threats, confirming Western diplomatic missions would remain operational in Kyiv despite the warnings.
The renewed fears of large-scale bombardment come as Ukraine enters another difficult phase of the war, with Russia increasingly relying on long-range missile and drone warfare to exert pressure far beyond the frontline.
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