Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack on Kyiv early Sunday, killing at least four people and injuring more than a hundred, according to local authorities. The assault, described as one of the biggest since the war began over four years ago, caused widespread damage to homes, schools, museums, theaters, and other buildings. Residents took shelter in underground metro stations as explosions echoed across the city, while rescue teams worked to extinguish fires and clear debris.

The Russian military said it used nuclear-capable hypersonic 'Oreshnik' missiles, though without nuclear warheads. The attack followed President Vladimir Putin’s warning of retaliation for a recent Ukrainian strike that killed 21 people in Russian-controlled eastern Ukraine. Ukraine’s air force reported intercepting 549 of about 600 drones and 55 of 90 missiles. European leaders condemned the assault, with EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen calling it an act of desperation, and French and German leaders criticizing Russia’s escalation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Western allies for stronger air defense support, while Albania summoned the Russian ambassador after its envoy’s residence in Kyiv was damaged. Other Ukrainian regions, including Kharkiv and Kherson, also came under attack.

Russia carried out large-scale missile and drone attacks across Ukraine from Saturday night to early Sunday, causing widespread explosions in Kyiv and other regions. Ukrainian authorities reported at least four deaths and 83 injuries. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the main target was the capital, though other areas were also hit. Residential buildings, educational institutions, and other facilities were damaged, according to local officials.

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed it used the hypersonic ‘Oreshnik’ missile in the assault, describing it as retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on civilian infrastructure. Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin alleged that a Ukrainian strike on a dormitory in the Russian-controlled city of Starobilsk killed 21 people. Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed a military operation near Starobilsk but said the target was a Russian special military unit.

Zelensky had previously warned that Russia was preparing a major new offensive and might deploy the ‘Oreshnik’ missile, which reportedly travels at ten times the speed of sound, making it extremely difficult to intercept.

Russia carried out a large-scale missile attack on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, late Saturday night, following prior warnings from Ukraine and the United States. Multiple explosions were heard across the city, causing widespread panic. Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia used medium-range ‘Oreshnik’ ballistic missiles. Kyiv’s military administration chief, Taimur Takachenko, confirmed that the capital was under heavy attack and urged residents to seek shelter. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said several areas were hit, resulting in damage and casualties.

The assault came a day after a drone strike on a college in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region’s Starobilsk area. Russia described that incident as a “terrorist attack,” claiming at least 18 children were killed, while Ukraine denied targeting civilians, stating it had struck the headquarters of the ‘Rubikon’ unit, which develops advanced drones.

Ukraine has recently intensified long-range missile strikes on Russian-occupied territories, including two military targets last week, signaling an escalation in the ongoing conflict.

Ten people were killed and 38 others injured in a Ukrainian attack on a college located in a Russian-occupied city in eastern Ukraine, according to local Russian-backed authorities. The incident occurred on Friday, and officials reported that 11 students remain missing following the strike.

Leonid Pasechnik, the governor of the occupied Luhansk region, said that rescue workers worked through the night in Starobilsk to clear debris from the damaged site. He confirmed that the death toll had risen to ten, with a total of 48 casualties reported.

Authorities continue search and rescue operations to locate the missing students as recovery efforts proceed in the affected area.

Ukraine has claimed that a Russian drone struck a Chinese-owned cargo ship in the Black Sea on Monday night, just as Russian President Vladimir Putin was preparing for a visit to China. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media that during a Russian drone attack in the Odesa region, one unmanned aerial vehicle hit the Chinese vessel.

Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk stated that all crew members were Chinese nationals and none were injured. The ship, identified as the KSL De Yang, continued its voyage despite visible burn marks on its upper structure. Ukraine also reported that Russia launched 524 drones and 22 missiles overnight, including ballistic and cruise types.

China has long called for dialogue to end the war but has not condemned Russia’s 2022 invasion, presenting itself as a neutral mediator. The incident comes after Russia withdrew from a UN- and Turkey-brokered deal that had allowed Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned of further counterattacks against Russia after a missile strike on Kyiv killed 24 people, including three children. In a post on X on Friday, Zelensky said Ukraine would not leave any Russian assault unanswered. He described Ukraine’s response against Russia’s oil industry, military production, and those involved in war crimes as justified. Earlier that morning, he visited the residential building destroyed in the attack.

Ukrainian officials reported that rescue operations lasted over 28 hours, saving 30 people. Kyiv’s mayor said about two dozen victims remain hospitalized. The youngest victim, 12-year-old Liubava Yakovleva, had lost her father earlier in the war. Meanwhile, Russian authorities said a Ukrainian drone strike on Ryazan killed four people, including a child, and damaged a multi-story building. Ukraine’s military confirmed it targeted a Russian oil refinery.

Amid the violence, both sides conducted a prisoner exchange, freeing 205 soldiers each. The released Ukrainians included fighters from Mariupol’s Azovstal plant. Peace talks mediated by the United States remain stalled, with Moscow refusing a ceasefire or full negotiations.

At least 24 people were killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine, which caused a residential building in Kyiv to collapse. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a strong warning following the assault, vowing that Russia’s actions would not go unanswered. The attacks occurred on Friday, according to the report.

Zelensky said he had discussed long-range strikes with senior military, security, and intelligence officials. He warned that Russia was preparing to target more than 20 key sites across Ukraine, including government residences, administrative buildings, and military command posts. The Ukrainian president emphasized that his country would respond decisively to the escalating aggression.

In retaliation, Ukraine launched extensive long-range drone strikes on various Russian regions, focusing on energy and military infrastructure. The exchange marks another escalation in the ongoing conflict between the two countries, with both sides intensifying their offensive operations.

Ukrainian authorities reported that Russia carried out a drone attack on Kyiv early Tuesday, shortly after the end of a three-day temporary ceasefire between the two countries. Kyiv’s military administration chief, Timur Takachenko, stated on Telegram that Russian drones were present in the city’s airspace and urged residents to remain in safe locations until further notice. This was the first time air raid sirens sounded in the capital since the ceasefire began on Friday.

The Kyiv regional military administration called on residents to stay in shelters and confirmed that Ukraine’s air defense systems were active in the area. The ceasefire had been announced by U.S. President Donald Trump last Friday, ahead of Russia’s World War II victory celebrations, with hopes it could mark the beginning of an end to the ongoing conflict.

During the ceasefire period, both Russia and Ukraine accused each other of attacks on civilians. The truce officially lasted from May 9 to May 11, according to Trump’s announcement.

Russia and Ukraine confirmed on Friday a three-day ceasefire and large-scale prisoner exchange from May 9 to 11, mediated by the United States. The announcement coincides with Moscow’s celebration of its World War II victory. US President Donald Trump first declared the ceasefire, expressing hope that it could pave the way for a long-term peace agreement. According to Trump, both sides agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners during the truce.

Earlier, Russia had unilaterally announced a two-day ceasefire for its Victory Day, while Ukraine had also proposed a truce that Moscow initially ignored. Trump stated that he personally requested the ceasefire and thanked Presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky for agreeing. He described it as a potential beginning of the end to a prolonged and deadly conflict.

Ukrainian President Zelensky emphasized that a ceasefire must be established and instructed his forces not to attack Moscow’s Red Square on May 9, when Russia’s annual Victory Parade—this year held without military hardware—was scheduled to take place.

Thousands of North Korean soldiers have reportedly fought alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, according to a BBC investigative report published on May 8, 2026. The report states that around 2,300 North Korean troops were killed while fighting for Russia. South Korean authorities said that after Russia’s sudden incursion into Ukraine’s Kursk region in August 2024, at least 11,000 North Korean soldiers were sent to assist in reclaiming parts of the area.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has publicly paid tribute to the soldiers who died in the conflict. The report suggests that in exchange for sending troops, Pyongyang received food, financial, and technological support from Moscow. In October 2025, Kim Jong Un reportedly ordered the construction of a museum in Pyongyang’s Hwasong district to honor the fallen soldiers.

The findings highlight the deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, as reported by the BBC.

At least 26 people were killed and more than 80 injured in Russian drone and missile attacks across Ukraine on Tuesday afternoon. Ukrainian officials reported that the strikes targeted Kramatorsk in the east, Zaporizhzhia in the southeast, and Chernihiv in the north. Zaporizhzhia regional governor Ivan Fedorov said at least 12 people were killed in his area. President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that five people died in Kramatorsk and four in Dnipro following separate attacks.

Officials also confirmed that overnight airstrikes hit state gas facilities in the Poltava and Kharkiv regions, killing at least five people. The attacks came a day after Kyiv and Moscow had separately announced a ceasefire to take effect later in the week.

The renewed wave of strikes underscores the continuing intensity of the conflict despite the pending ceasefire announcement, raising concerns about further civilian casualties and infrastructure damage.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of engaging in 'nuclear terrorism' during a speech on Sunday marking the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster. According to a report by AFP, Zelensky said that Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine had once again brought the world to the brink of a man-made catastrophe.

Zelensky alleged that Russian drones regularly fly over the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and that one drone struck the site’s protective structure last year. He urged the international community not to allow such 'nuclear terrorism' to continue, emphasizing that the best way to stop it would be to compel Russia to end its reckless attacks.

The Chernobyl disaster occurred in 1986 and remains one of the most severe nuclear accidents in history, serving as a grim reminder of the potential dangers of nuclear mishandling.

At least eight people were killed and 49 injured in a 20-hour Russian drone and missile assault on the central-eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro, local authorities said on Saturday. The attack, which began before dawn and continued into the afternoon, struck residential areas, businesses, and energy infrastructure. Officials described it as the largest attack on Dnipro to date. Among the injured were two children and a city mayor’s adviser. Additional casualties were reported in other parts of the Dnipropetrovsk region and in neighboring Zaporizhzhia.

Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 619 drones and 47 missiles overnight, most of which were intercepted. The Russian defense ministry claimed it targeted Ukrainian military sites, denying attacks on civilians. A drone also crashed in Romania, prompting evacuations and the deployment of British fighter jets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, visiting Azerbaijan, urged the international community to respond more firmly to Russia’s actions.

The Dnipropetrovsk region is a key industrial area located about 100 kilometers from the front line. Diplomatic efforts to end the war remain stalled, with peace initiatives disrupted by other global conflicts.

In eastern Ukraine, remotely controlled ground robots carrying 66 pounds of explosives are being deployed toward Russian positions, supported by drones that clear paths with aerial bombs. One robot detonates near enemy lines while others remain behind to observe. The footage, recorded last summer, illustrates Ukraine’s adoption of new combat methods, according to the country’s leaders.

Facing manpower shortages, Kyiv is expanding its use of drones and automated weapons for defense. President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that an attack in the Kharkiv region last year demonstrated Ukraine’s ability to seize Russian positions using automated systems alone. Although ground robots are typically used for logistics and medical evacuations, Ukraine is increasingly employing them for offensive operations.

According to the Defense Ministry, Ukrainian forces conducted over 9,000 frontline missions in March using drones equipped with explosives, machine guns, or rockets. While slower and more visible than quadcopter drones, ground robots can carry heavier explosive loads, though they remain vulnerable to enemy fire and have limited operational lifespans of about 24 hours.

Two civilians were killed in a Russian drone attack in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region, according to the local military administration. The strike targeted a civilian area in the Bilopillia community, less than five kilometers from the Russian border. The victims were two men aged 48 and 72, local officials confirmed.

The report noted that Moscow has been conducting hundreds of drone attacks across various parts of Ukraine almost daily amid the ongoing war. In response, Kyiv has continued to strike Russian energy and military targets. Separately, in Russian-occupied Crimea’s Sevastopol, a Ukrainian drone attack killed one person inside a car and damaged several houses and a dance school.

Russia’s defense ministry claimed to have shot down 43 drones during the Sevastopol incident. The previous day, at least eight people were killed in a Russian assault on the central-southern city of Dnipro, which lasted nearly 20 hours in multiple waves, according to Ukrainian authorities.