Putin Vetoed Hypersonic Missile Strike On Zelensky’s Office, Belarusian President Says

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Friday told reporters in an anecdote given to a press conference that Russian authorities had plans to directly attack Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office in Kiev, but that President Putin rejected the proposed action.

What’s more, Lukashenko said, is that it would have happened with the new Oreshnik missiles, which are medium-range hypersonics that Russian officials have touted as having the same destructive power as a low-yield nuclear strike.

Sputnik/Reuters

RT News conveyed the Belarusian president’s remarks as describing unnamed figures in Russia suggested using the system against Kiev’s “decision-making centers” – but that Putin dismissed the plan by saying “absolutely not”.

“There would have been nothing left, if the strike would have taken place,” added Lukashenko.

There was no specific date or timeline attached to the story, and thus no way of verifying it – but very likely Russian military planners have long researched and prepared a large range of military options to present to Kremlin decision-makers.

RT has detailed that the “Oreshnik, Russia’s newly developed medium-range hypersonic missile system which can travel at speeds of up to Mach 10, has already entered serial production.”

“The system, which analysts claim cannot be intercepted, can carry nuclear or conventional warheads, and release multiple guided warheads,” the report added.

Putin PERSONALLY stopped strike on Zelensky’s office with DEADLY Oreshnik missile — Belarus’s Lukashenko

Ukraine FEARED Bankovaya Street, where Zelensky’s office is, might be targeted

REVEALS that, despite plans, Russian Prez CATEGORICALLY rejected them

‘Under NO circumstance’ pic.twitter.com/1G80V9eSJk

— RT (@RT_com) August 22, 2025

A number of pro-Moscow hawks and Russian military bloggers have long questioned why Putin has appeared restrained in his approach to the war – for example having never hit Ukraine’s military and intelligence headquarter buildings in the capital.

It could have something to do with Putin being very ‘lawfare’-oriented in the way he does things. For example, the long-running conflict itself is still at the legal designation level of ‘Special Military Operation’ and so is not considered a full war from Moscow’s point of view, which would require total societal mobilization.

Putin could also still be hoping for permanent settlement which leaves Russia in control, and with recognized sovereignty over the seized eastern territories and Crimea. It further seems that Russia is in no mood to try and occupy and administer the whole of Ukraine, fearing a disastrous quagmire and over-stretching of its armed forces.