U.S. embassy warns Kyiv of attack

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv issued a security alert on May 23 saying it had received information about a “potentially significant air attack” that could occur at any time over the next 24 hours. The embassy told U.S. citizens to identify shelter locations in advance, download a reliable air-raid alert app and take cover immediately if an alert was announced. The warning came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia was preparing a strike using an Oreshnik ballistic missile, citing intelligence from Ukraine, the United States and Europe. By early May 24, Kyiv was under a large Russian missile and drone attack, according to Reuters. ### What exactly did the U.S. Embassy say? A May 23 alert posted on the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine’s website said the embassy in Kyiv had “received information concerning a potentially significant air attack” that could happen within 24 hours. The notice did not name a specific city, weapon or target. The embassy said U.S. citizens should locate shelters before any alert, use an air-raid warning app such as Air Raid Siren or Alarm Map, and immediately shelter if an air alert was announced. The State Department’s Ukraine travel advisory separately says the security situation can change quickly and that embassy personnel in Kyiv face movement and curfew restrictions. (ua.usembassy.gov) ### Where did the Oreshnik missile warning come from? President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on May 23 that Russia was preparing a strike against Ukraine using a hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile, according to Reuters. Reuters reported that Zelenskiy said he was relying on intelligence from Ukraine, the United States and Europe. (ua.usembassy.gov) Ukrainska Pravda, citing the embassy alert and Zelenskiy’s remarks, reported that the expected strike could include Kyiv. The embassy’s own alert, however, did not mention Oreshnik by name. ### Why was the embassy notice notable? The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv is open and operating, but the State Department says consular assistance can be delayed because of wartime restrictions and the fast-changing security environment. (usnews.com) Embassy security alerts are typically used to tell U.S. citizens about immediate threats and protective steps rather than to provide operational detail about military intelligence. (pravda.com.ua) A similar embassy alert was issued on May 9, 2025, warning of a potentially significant air attack over the next several days. That earlier notice used nearly identical language urging Americans to prepare to shelter immediately in the event of an air alert. ### Did an attack follow the warning? Kyiv was hit early on May 24 by what Reuters described as a massive Russian missile and drone strike that killed four people in the city and surrounding region and injured dozens. (travel.state.gov) Reuters reported that Ukraine’s air force had warned shortly beforehand that Russia might launch a hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile. (ua.usembassy.gov) Reuters also reported separately that Zelenskiy said on May 24 that Russia had used the Oreshnik missile in the attack. That account could not be independently confirmed from the embassy alert itself, which was limited to a warning notice for U.S. citizens. ### What should readers watch next? The U.S. Embassy’s security alerts page and the State Department’s Ukraine travel advisory are the main official channels for any follow-up guidance to U.S. citizens. (msn.com) Ukrainian officials, including President Zelenskiy and the air force, are likely to provide the next public details on the weapons used and the scope of the May 24 attack. (ua.usembassy.gov) (yahoo.com)