Zelenskiy warns Russia is preparing a new massive attack on Ukraine

Ukraine is on alert for another major Russian assault after Volodymyr Zelenskiy said intelligence showed Moscow was preparing a new massive attack, a warning that puts the country’s air defenses and fast-moving response systems back at the center of the war.

In an evening address on May 29 at 19:39, Zelenskiy said, “We have intel indicating that Russia is preparing a new massive attack.” He urged Ukrainians to pay close attention to air-raid alerts and said Ukraine’s Air Force and other defenders would be working around the clock. The presidential website said the intelligence indicating the possibility of a massive strike remained valid on May 30.

The warning underscored how quickly the military balance can shift as Kyiv tries to read Russian intentions in real time. Zelenskiy tied the threat to the need for stronger air defense and faster help from partners protecting Ukraine’s skies, making clear that the next phase of the war may hinge less on territory alone than on how much damage Ukraine can prevent from the air.

The shape of the expected attack is not fully public, but recent warnings point to the possibility of a large-scale missile and drone barrage, including systems designed to overwhelm Ukrainian defenses. On May 23, Zelenskiy said Russia was preparing a strike using a hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile, after Vladimir Putin ordered his military to prepare retaliation options in response to a drone strike on a student dorm in Russian-controlled Luhansk. The sequence suggested a cycle of action and counteraction that could drive another round of escalation.

Ukraine’s ability to absorb that pressure depends heavily on weapons supply. On May 27, Zelenskiy asked Donald Trump and Congress for more Patriot systems and interceptors, saying ballistic missiles remain Moscow’s “last major advantage on the battlefield.” Two U.S. congressmen then said Washington should respond positively to the request for more air-defense missiles, a sign that the issue is moving deeper into Western politics as well as military planning.

The political dimension is just as sharp. Zelenskiy also called for further sanctions on Russia, and on May 30 the presidential website said he signed decrees aligning Ukrainian sanctions with European Union measures. That gives the warning a broader purpose: harden the home front, press allies for faster air-defense deliveries, and keep Russian escalation from setting the terms of the next phase of the war.