Every new Russian shelling of Kharkiv results in thousands of broken windows and damage, says Kharkiv’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov, UkrInform reports. 

“Currently, the need for windows exceeds 50,000. Every strike increases this number by another thousand, one and a half, two. The record was more than five thousand in one attack,” the mayor reveals.

Municipal services promptly seal off the building envelopes to preserve heat and ensure residents’ safety. Some construction materials are provided by charitable organizations, but, according to Terekhov, the volumes are significantly less than in previous years of the war.

“We are receiving very little now from the funds. The assistance is shrinking, probably due to a lack of financial resources. And it’s not getting easier for us,” the mayor continues.

Volunteers actively help municipal workers eliminate the consequences of the strikes, especially in hard-to-reach buildings.

For example, in a 24-story building in the Saltivka district damaged during the night shelling on 12 June, construction materials had to be carried up manually because the elevators were without power.

The mayor also emphasizes that after each attack, Kharkiv residents unite and support the municipal and emergency services. He recalls an incident when, during a morning shelling on Hymnaziyna Embankment, a local resident brought sandwiches to workers clearing the damage.

Everything was burning, death was all around — but Kharkiv remains unbroken. After a nighttime kamikaze drone attack on Kharkiv, rescuers heard an injured man singing the Ukrainian national anthem beneath the rubble of a destroyed building, says Oleksii Biloshytskyi, First Deputy Head of the Patrol Police Department.

During the night of 11 June, Russian attack drones struck residential neighborhoods in Kharkiv. Direct hits were recorded on apartment buildings and a civilian enterprise. Three people were killed, and more than 60 were injured, including children.

A 65-year-old man, a 47-year-old woman, and another 65-year-old man who died in the hospital in the morning were among the victims of the strike. At least 60 people were wounded, among them nine children, UkrInform reports. 

Oleksii Biloshytskyi described an extraordinary moment during the rescue operation. 

“We pulled people from the rubble, extinguished fires burning right on people’s bodies. In that darkness, amid the dust, smoke, and pain, a man under the debris was singing the Ukrainian National Anthem. That’s something you don’t forget. That’s something you cannot forgive,” he said. 

Earlier, on 7 June, Russia launched a mix of drones, guided bombs, and at least one missile on Kharkiv, killing six civilians.

One of the Shahed drones struck civilian infrastructure, causing severe destruction. Among the damaged objects was an Audi A7 that ended up at the epicenter of the explosion, writes Blik. Yet, contrary to expectations, the car not only “survived” but also started and drove away, astonishing everyone who witnessed the moment. Footage of the car instantly went viral on social media.

Search and rescue workers in Kharkiv have recovered the body of the sixth and final victim of a Russian attack carried out overnight on 7 June, concluding a multi-day search operation, according to Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov’s 12 June report.

Search ends with tragic discovery

Authorities located the body of a missing civilian employee trapped under rubble in the Kyivskyi district of Kharkiv City, where a Russian strike targeted a civilian enterprise five days before. Mayor Terekhov confirmed the recovery and declared the search operation officially concluded.

The victim had been listed as missing since the Russian attack, which involved a mix of drones, KAB guided bombs, and at least one missile, launched against the city overnight into 7 June.

Sequence of discoveries

Two additional bodies were recovered from the rubble on the morning of 12 June. Prior to that, the body of the first confirmed victim was found on 10 June, with others discovered over the following days.

Body recovered in Kharkiv after Russia’s 7 June attack, five still missing

According to initial reports, six civilian employees were believed to be trapped under the collapsed structure after the airstrike. All six have now been confirmed dead.

Overnight on 12 June, Russia again targeted Ukraine with long-range explosive drones. Although the number of drones dropped significantly—from over 400 in recent days to 63 last night—the attack still caused damage to civilian infrastructure and injured civilians.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched the 63 drones—including Shahed-type explosive drones and decoy UAVs—against Ukraine from directions including Russia’s Kursk, Oryol, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, and the Russian-occupied Chauda in Ukraine’s Crimea. The report says 49 drones were neutralized, with 28 shot down and 21 suppressed or lost via electronic warfare systems. Despite these defenses, drones hit at least seven locations, with debris falling in four others, according to the Air Force.

The Air Force’s data suggest that 14 Russian drones may have reached their intended targets.

Kharkiv city’s residential areas targeted

In Kharkiv, Russian drones hit multiple areas, including a high-rise residential building and a nearby fitness club in the Saltiivskyi district, as reported by Suspilne and confirmed by Mayor Ihor Terekhov.

The 24-story building suffered damage, with three vehicles catching fire due to drone debris crash.

Local resident Volodymyr told Suspilne,

“The house shook, plaster fell from the ceiling, and my windows and balconies were blown out.”

Drone strikes also targeted Shevchenkivskyi and Slobidskyi districts of Kharkiv city.

Three civilians killed and nine children wounded as Russia hits residential areas in Kharkiv

Wider damage across Kharkiv Oblast

According to Kharkiv Oblast Head Oleh Syniehubov, 16 people were injured in the region over the past 24 hours, including four children aged 2, 12, 16, and 17. 

Weapons used included two unguided air rockets, six KAB guided bombs, and over 31 Shaheds, and five drones of other types, according to Syniehubov.

Strikes in Odesa and Donetsk oblasts

In Odesa Oblast, drones hit the Izmail district and damaged several multi-story residential buildings and a reed-processing enterprise in the Vylkove community. No casualties were reported, but civilian infrastructure was affected, according to Oblast Head Oleh Kiper.

Meanwhile, Donetsk Oblast Administration reported two civilians killed in Raiiske and Toretske and six others wounded over the past 24 hours. The report did not specify whether Russian drone strikes or artillery shelling caused the casualties.

Russia has shifted its drone strike tactics, making it increasingly difficult for Ukrainian air defenses to respond, Kharkiv regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

The change comes amid a sharp escalation in Moscow’s drone campaign. Russia is now deploying high-altitude, dive-bombing Shahed drones at scale—reportedly producing thousands each month using Iranian designs and domestic facilities. These drones are increasingly hitting civilian targets, overwhelming defenses, and causing growing casualties and destruction.

In a major overnight assault, 15 Shahed drones struck Kharkiv, with two more hitting nearby areas. Eleven sites were hit within minutes, including three residential buildings.

Drones now fly higher before diving at targets

Syniehubov noted that the drones now fly at significantly higher altitudes before striking.

“Russian forces have changed tactics—they’re now launching drones at 4,000 to 5,000 meters, then dropping them sharply just before impact,” he wrote on Telegram.

The latest strike killed four people and injured 64 others, including children. Among the victims was a woman who died in hospital hours after her husband, both wounded in the same attack.

The Osnovianskyi and Slobidskyi districts sustained direct hits on apartment blocks, private homes, playgrounds, public transport, and key infrastructure. Fires were reported at several locations.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strikes as “cowardly” and “deliberate,” warning that such Russian attacks have become a grim daily occurrence.

Rescue workers discovered a body on 10 June under the debris of a Kharkiv enterprise destroyed in Russia’s deadly overnight attack on 7 June. The search for five more missing workers continues.

One body recovered, five more feared buried

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov announced the discovery via Telegram on 10 June.

“During rescue work at the enterprise shelled on 7 June, a body was found. The process of its recovery is ongoing,” Terekhov wrote.

He added that rescue operations are being conducted around the clock, and according to available data, up to five individuals may still be trapped under the rubble.

Kharkiv endures most extensive attack since full-scale invasion began. Three civilians killed, dozens injured

Enterprise struck in powerful overnight air assault days ago

The enterprise, located in Kharkiv’s Kyivskyi District, was hit during what Terekhov described as the “most powerful attack” on the city since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

The assault began at approximately 03:00 a.m. on 7 June and included over 40 explosions. Russian forces used more than 50 Shahed explosive drones, four guided bombs (KABs), and one missile, according to Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor’s Office head Spartak Borysenko.

A large fire erupted at the site, and initial reports said six workers might be blocked under the rubble. Five of them—three women and two men—were confirmed injured.

Injured teen dies week after Russian attack on Sumy

Earlier toll from the 7 June attack

The overnight Russian assault on Kharkiv killed three civilians and injured 21 others, including a one-and-a-half-month-old infant and a 14-year-old girl. Later that evening, Russian forces attacked again with guided bombs, one of which hit the children’s railway, killing two and injuring over 40 people.

Russian missile killed young couple planning marriage. They lived on 8th floor —their bodies found in basement after collapse

Russian forces launched an overnight air assault on 5 June using over 100 drones and a ballistic missile against Ukraine, and continued ground and artillery attacks. Russian strikes killed at least eight civilians, including a baby, and injured dozens across Ukraine, according to local authorities.

Mass aerial attack

According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russia used 103 Shahed-type drones and one Iskander-M ballistic missile in its latest assault from Russian territory and Crimea’s occupied zone. The main directions of attack included Chernihiv, Kharkiv, and Odesa oblasts. Air defenses neutralized 74 drones—28 shot down and 46 jammed or lost. Impacts from the airstrikes were confirmed in 16 locations across Ukraine.

The Air Force’s data suggest that the missile and at least 29 Russian drones may have reached their targets.

Civilians killed in Pryluky

In Pryluky, Chernihiv Oblast, Russia struck with at least six Shahed drones, for some reason referred to by their Russian designation as “Geran” by Regional Military Administration head Vyacheslav Chaus.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that the fatal strike destroyed the home of a rescuer, killing his wife, daughter, and grandson.

“This is already the 632nd child killed during the full-scale war,” Zelenskyy said.

Large fires broke out in residential areas. The State Emergency Service reported two detached houses, two garages, one outbuilding, and a car were destroyed.

Kharkiv: targeted residential buildings

Kharkiv’s Slobidskyi district was hit by seven Russian drones, with a total of 16 explosive drones targeting Kharkiv Oblast. Additionally, the region was targeted by an Iskander-M Russian missile, two Kh-35, and one more unidentified missile. Mayor Ihor Terekhov and Oblast head Oleh Syniehubov reported 19 injured, including a pregnant woman, a 93-year-old, and four children, aged 7, 9,  and 13. Additionally, a 38-year-old man was injured in Izium, Kharkiv Oblast, after an explosion of an unidentified device.

Terekhov stated:

“This is not a strike on military targets. This is deliberate terror against residential areas and ordinary Kharkiv residents.”

Seven apartment buildings were damaged, with drones hitting 17th and 2nd floors directly. Fires erupted in apartments and vehicles.

Odesa Oblast: schools and clinics damaged

Russia struck Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi district in Odesa Oblast with drones, damaging a family medicine clinic, a children’s creativity center, and a lyceum school. Local authorities reported no casualties. Fires were extinguished by emergency services. Oblast head Oleh Kiper said law enforcement is documenting Russia’s actions as war crimes.

Sumy Oblast: children among injured

Sumy Oblast authorities confirmed injuries to two civilians over the past 24 hours: a 42-year-old man and a 13-year-old girl. Nearly 100 Russian strikes hit 35 towns and villages, including the use of more than 20 guided bombs and 30 VOG grenades dropped from drones.

Kherson: airstrikes kill two

Kherson Oblast authorities reported two killed and 10 injured over the past 24 hours. This morning, Russian forces bombed central Kherson with four KAB bombs, causing additional injuries to a 74-year-old, 68-year-old, and a 44-year-old man.

One apartment block’s entrance was destroyed, and nearby buildings damaged. The strike targeted the Kherson Oblast Administration building.

Four people trapped in a basement were rescued unharmed.

Earlier, a 66-year-old man suffered a blast injury in Bilozerka and will receive outpatient treatment.

Civilian casualties in Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk oblasts

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, two were injured during 428 Russian strikes across 14 settlements, including Vasylivskyi district, local authorities reported.

In Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a 71-year-old man was severely wounded by a Russian drone-dropped munition.

The Donetsk Oblast Military Administration reported an additional fatality and five more injuries from Russian attacks on 4 June.

“Terrorism”

President Zelenskyy condemned the Russian strikes as acts of terrorism:

“This is another massive attack by Russian terrorists who kill our people every night. We expect action from the US, Europe, and everyone who can help stop this.”

He called for further sanctions and international pressure, stating that peace can only come through force and determination.

Related:

• Putin “gives the finger” to the entire world, Zelenskyy says after Trump’s call with Russian president
• 95 Russian drones target Ukraine overnight: Kharkiv hit for 90 minutes straight
• ISW: Russia continues to want Ukraine’s “complete destruction.” Russian missile stockpile only grows.
• Russia kills civilians in central Sumy with Tornado-S cluster munitions. “Hypersonic” Kinzhal hits near Mykolaiv (updated)

Russian forces launched a massive drone assault on Ukraine overnight on 4 June, deploying 95 strike drones and decoy aircraft across multiple oblasts.

Ukrainian air defenses destroyed 61 Russian drones, according to the Air Force Command.

The attack targeted Kharkiv, Odesa, Sumy Oblast, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and Donetsk Oblast. Russian aircraft struck seven locations across the country.

Russian forces attack Ukraine daily with various types of weapon. Russian leadership denies that its army deliberately targets civilian infrastructure during the full-scale war, killing civilians and destroying hospitals, schools, kindergartens, and energy and water supply facilities. Ukrainian authorities and international organizations classify these strikes as war crimes by the Russian Federation and emphasize their deliberate nature.

Kharkiv under fire

Kharkiv bore the brunt of the attack. Russian forces used nine Shahed drones and two missiles of undetermined type against the city, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.

The attack lasted 90 minutes. Russian forces struck civilian infrastructure, enterprises, residential buildings, a car service station, and a park across seven locations in Novobavarian district.

According to the Situation Center, missile strikes occurred in the Novobavarian district at a civilian enterprise.

A 30-year-old man was injured in the attack, according to Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

The strikes damaged a civilian enterprise workshop and caused a major fire at another facility. A car service station burned down along with a private house, garage, and outbuilding. Seven nearby homes sustained damage.

Ground crews found an unexploded Shahed drone. The attack damaged electrical networks and burned 600 square meters of grass.

Odesa hit by drone swarm

Russian forces conducted a mass drone attack on Odesa overnight. Air defenses destroyed most targets, but civilian infrastructure sustained damage, Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper said.

“There is damage to civilian infrastructure in the city, including residential buildings and a car service station,” Kiper said.

One person suffered a leg injury. Nine people sought psychological support following the attack, according to govenror.

Sumy Oblast factory targeted

Russian drones struck a bioethanol production plant in Sumy Oblast’s Lebedyn community. The attack caused fires and damaged cisterns, leading to depressurization and molasses spillage.

Approximately 10 private houses were destroyed in the assault. Specialists are assessing environmental consequences of the incident. No casualties were reported, according to Sumy Oblast Military Administration.

At least 12 drone impacts were recorded in the oblast during the night attack.

Dnipro Oblast

The Russian forces attacked Dnipro Oblast with artillery and drones, overnight into 4 June.

The attack damaged utility company, cars, medical institution in the oblast, according to Dnipro Oblast Governor Serhii Lysak. There were reportedly no injured.

Air  defense response

Ukrainian forces deployed aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units, drone systems, and mobile fire groups to repel the assault. The defense destroyed 36 drones with fire weapons and neutralized 25 others through electronic warfare systems.

Russia has conducted nightly drone attacks on Ukraine. The previous night of 2-3 June, Russian forces launched over 110 drones from five directions.

The attack came a day after Ukraine struck the Kerch Strait Bridge, a key Russian military bridge connecting occupied Crimea to mainland Russia. Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) confirmed on 3 June that it carried out an underwater operation to damage the bridge, marking the third Ukrainian strike on the Russian-built structure.

Russian forces killed and injured civilians across Ukraine in overnight attacks that targeted Ukrainian regions with 80 drones and four missiles on 2 June.

The Russian military deployed 80 Iranian-designed Shahed strike drones and decoy unmanned aerial vehicles, three Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles, and one Iskander-K cruise missile, Ukraine’s Air Forces reported.

Ukrainian defense forces neutralized 52 targets across the eastern, southern and northern regions, with 15 enemy drones shot down by conventional weapons and 37 suppressed through electronic warfare systems.

The strikes primarily targeted Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Donetsk and Kherson oblasts, with confirmed hits recorded in 12 locations across the country.

Russian strike injures children in Kharkiv

Kharkiv experienced a two-phase assault beginning with drone strikes followed by missile attacks, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov and regional administration head Oleh Syniehubov.

Russian forces struck the Kyivsky district with two ballistic missiles, with one projectile hitting near an apartment building and another striking a road dozens of meters from a school.

Six people sustained injuries in the city, including two children with one victim being a seven-year-old boy.

The attacks damaged the facade of a dormitory, a civilian enterprise, three five-story residential buildings, private residences and vehicles.

Russia kills five civilians in Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Russian attacks on Zaporizhzhia Oblast killed five people and wounded nine others over a 24-hour period, according to regional military administration head Ivan Fedorov.

Russian forces conducted 593 strikes against 16 settlements, including a missile attack on the city of Zaporizhzhia itself.

The overnight drone assault damaged residential buildings and infrastructure. One private house was completely destroyed while more than 60 others sustained damage, with four apartment buildings also affected.

Today, there are a lot of interesting updates from the Kharkiv direction. Here, Russians launched their long-anticipated summer offensive on Kharkiv, aiming to reverse the losses suffered in 2022 and collapse the Ukrainian front from Vovchansk.

Kharkiv offensive: High stakes

But as Russian Spetsnaz units led the charge, they were met head-on by French special forces volunteers fighting for Ukraine, triggering an unexpected brutal clash.

The goal of the Russian forces in this area is to retake the territories lost to the Ukrainians during the 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive and achieve what they failed to do last year in 2024.

If Russians achieve a breakthrough at Vovchansk, they will continue their offensive along the Siversky Donets river and threaten to outflank the Ukrainian forces at Kupiansk, placing the Ukrainians at risk of frontline collapse, and taking much of the territory in the process.

Phase one: Reconnaissance assaults fail

As you remember from a previous report, the Russians had already initiated the first phase of their attacks with large reconnaissance-in-force operations, meant to test the Ukrainian defenses, but were destroyed even before they crossed the administrative border. These and other assaults indicate that Russians are already setting their plans in motion.

Zooming into Vovchansk, the entire town was left in ruins after the brutal fighting that took place during the initial Russian offensive of 2024 and subsequent positional battles within the town. The Russian forces are in control of the northern part of the town, holed up in basements, as there are no standing buildings left.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian forces are positioned in the southern part of the town along the riverbank and in the local aggregate plant, allowing the Ukrainians to maintain a tactical presence in the town.

This enduring tactical presence and the severe damage to the town itself created a no-man’s land between the Russian and Ukrainian lines, where the collapsed buildings and ruins prevent either side from establishing long-term positions.

In Vovchansk, the scale of destruction has left Russian infantry units exposed, with no intact buildings or basements for cover.

Forced to operate in open rubble, they become easy targets for Ukrainian drones. Over a year of futile assaults has turned the town into a graveyard of Russian troops, each wave falling where the last one died, forced to walk over each other’s bodies.

Clash of elite forces east of Tykhe

Russians understood that making progress in Vovchansk is extremely unlikely, which is why they are now attempting to widen the front east of Tykhe, trying to overextend Ukrainian lines. The Russians initiated their assaults in this area by advancing through the forest, led by special forces operatives of Spetsnaz.

However, the Ukrainians did not leave this area undefended, as a contingent of Ukrainian foreign fighters was located there.

The Russian special operatives were caught off guard as they encountered their match in elite, ex-special forces, French volunteers serving with the Ukrainian Military Intelligence.

The French opened fire on the Russians, prompting the Russians to fire back and reveal their positions, whereafter the French moved quickly to gain complete fire superiority.

The distance between the French and the Russians was close to the point that fighters of both sides could hear each other’s yelling and commands amidst the intense battle.

Unfortunately for the Russians, they were no match for the French ex-special forces.

As the French advanced, moving past the bodies of the ones they killed, they directed artillery fire on the remaining Russian positions, decimating the Spetsnaz fighters and taking the day.

Strategic implications: Holding line in Kharkiv

Overall, in Russian strategic doctrine, there is no diversionary offensive, as their forces will persistently try to exploit a breakthrough anywhere and whenever possible.

This makes holding the line in the Kharkiv sector crucial, as maintaining a strong defense will make it unlikely that the Russians will continue their attacks and instead concentrate their forces elsewhere.

The first Russian soldiers to initiate the fighting and the foundation for these offensives are reconnaissance units, which in this case even included Spetsnaz fighters.

However, with elite French foreign volunteers serving to counter the Russian threat, Russians stand no chance of achieving anything close to meaningful gains here.

In our daily frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.

A Russian guided aerial bomb strike killed a 9-year-old girl and wounded a 16-year-old boy in southeastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast during a massive overnight assault on Ukraine. 

Russian military forces conducted an extensive air assault on Ukraine during the night of 30-31 May, deploying over 100 drones and 5 missiles across the country, according to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The attack involved 107 Shahed-type strike drones and various decoy unmanned aircraft, supplemented by two reactive strike UAVs of undetermined classification.

Russian forces also fired two S-300 surface-to-air guided missiles and three Kh-59/69 guided aviation missiles. Ukrainian air defense systems successfully intercepted 71 of the 114 launched weapons. 

The strikes primarily targeted the Sumy, Kharkiv, and Donetsk oblasts, located near the frontline. Ukrainian forces destroyed 42 UAVs through direct fire engagement, while electronic warfare systems suppressed an additional 30 drones that were “locationally lost.” 

Russian strike kills little girl in Ukraine

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Russian forces specifically targeted the village of Dolynka in Polohivskyi district using guided aerial bombs against residential area, according to the head of Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration. (ZRMA)

The attack killed a child, destroyed one house completely and damaged several buildings, vehicles, and agricultural structures through blast effects.

A 16-year-old boy who was injured in the strike remains in stable serious condition.

“Multiple injuries, amputation, contusion — the boy who suffered from the Russian shelling is in serious condition under the supervision of doctors,” wrote the head of ZRMA.

Russian forces conducted 628 separate strikes against 24 settlements in Zaporizhzhia Oblast over a 24-hour period. The attacks employed aviation, drones, rocket artillery, and conventional artillery systems.

Russia causes damage in agricultural areas

In northeastern Sumy Oblast, a drone attack struck a bread delivery vehicle in Nedryhailivska community, injuring the driver with shrapnel wounds requiring hospitalization. In Romenska community, drone hit a farm facility, resulting in a fire that killed livestock.

Trostyanetska community agricultural enterprises faced bombardment from two missiles and 13 drones, causing fires that destroyed enterprise buildings and transportation equipment.

The attacks ignite fires in Kharkiv

In eastern Kharkiv on the border with Russia, night strikes ignited fires across multiple districts. The Kyivskyi district saw an enterprise building roof burn across 250 square meters, while Shevchenkivskyi district experienced fires at a garage and two vehicles on enterprise grounds, according to regional emergency services. 

Russian forces launched eight Shahed-type drones overnight on 30 May, targeting a trolleybus repair depot in Kharkiv, according to city mayor Ihor Terekhov.

The attack also damaged over 30 apartment buildings. Two people were injured, Terekhov said.

The attack destroyed one trolleybus completely and damaged 18 others to varying degrees. The mayor said that municipal transport is dispersed throughout Kharkiv, which “saved us from much greater losses.”

Russian drones also struck Vasyliv Khutir village in Chuhuiv community overnight, injuring eight people including two 16-year-old children, Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

The State Emergency Service reported that missile and drone strikes damaged a private house, farms, a warehouse building and equipment in the village. Five cows died on the farm territory.

Russian drones also targeted Odesa with eight strikes, hitting a municipal enterprise and causing a fire at a Nova Poshta postal service branch, State Emergency reported. Cargo trucks were also damaged. The fire has been extinguished with no casualties, according to emergency services.

Russian forces attack Ukraine daily with various types of weapon. Russian leadership denies that its army deliberately targets civilian infrastructure during the full-scale war, killing civilians and destroying hospitals, schools, kindergartens, and energy and water supply facilities. Ukrainian authorities and international organizations classify these strikes as war crimes by the Russian Federation and emphasize their deliberate nature.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported destroying 56 out of 60 drones launched by Russian forces. Russian troops also fired two Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles. Strikes were recorded in 12 locations across Ukraine.

The situation on the border of Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts with Russia must be treated with the utmost seriousness, warns Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Zhorin, deputy commander of Ukraine’s 3rd Separate Assault Brigade.

Zhorin stresses the urgent need to prepare logistics, cover roads with anti-drone nets, and build fortifications. He notes that Russia lacks sufficient forces to capture regional centers but may attempt to push deeper into Ukrainian territory to use this as leverage in negotiations.

“Their goal isn’t to seize entire regions, but to add two more to their propaganda narrative — and claim they could have taken them, but chose not to,” Zhorin says.

Even without a critical mass of troops, the threat remains — and not just in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts.

Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, warns that Russia may also launch an offensive in the Chernihiv direction, 24 Channel reports. 

This is a critical threat, as Chernihiv borders Kyiv Oblast and was a key invasion route in 2022, when Russian forces advanced through Hlukhiv, Bakhmach, and Chernihiv in an attempt to encircle Kyiv from the northeast.

“We must disrupt Russia’s plans to create a buffer zone. That zone must be on Russian territory, not in Ukraine,” Kovalenko emphasizes.

He adds that Russia has long ceased to hide its strategic goal — the occupation of all of Ukraine. However, having a plan does not mean the enemy is capable of executing it.

Ukraine’s military leadership urges not to delay in strengthening the border and preparing for a multi-directional defense.

Russian forces launched a massive drone attack on Ukraine overnight on 28 May. Russia attacked Ukraine with six ballistic and guided missiles and 88 strike drones, according to Ukraine’s Air Force.

Ukrainian air defenses destroyed 71 drones. Another 37 were lost locationally. Strikes hit eight locations, the Air Force reported.

At least 16 explosions were heard in Kharkiv overnight. These were sounds of explosions occurring in the oblast, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.

Three men aged 51, 43 and 59 were injured in Vasyshcheve. A four-year-old girl suffered an acute stress reaction, reported regional governor Oleh Syniehubov.

In Eskhari, two men aged 63 and 80 and two women aged 63 and 71 were injured, according to Syniehubov.

Russian forces attacked Svitlovodsk in Kirovohrad Oblast overnight on 28 May. An industrial enterprise and residential buildings were damaged, Kirovohrad Oblast Governor Andriy Raykovych said.

A fire broke out at the enterprise. According to Raykovych, there are three injured people. Two were hospitalized. The attack also damaged 76 private houses and one 9-story building.

More than 1,400 consumers lost electricity. A commission is inspecting damaged buildings in Svitlovodsk, the Svitlovodsk community reported on Facebook.

Russian forces attacked communities in Mykolaiv Oblast with drones and missiles overnight on 28 May. A child was wounded and 200 consumers lost power, the Mykolaiv regional military administration reported.

Drones attacked Halytsyny community. A 7-year-old girl received minor injuries, the regional administration reported. Two houses and three cars were also damaged.

Around 02:00 am on 28 May, Russian forces attacked the city of Ochakiv with a missile. A recreational facility was damaged there.

Shaheds also attacked Snihuriv community overnight. A non-residential building, two residential houses and power lines were damaged in the village of Vasylivka. 200 subscribers lost power. Electricity supply was almost restored by morning, the regional administration reported.

Two people were wounded in overnight Russian shelling in Kherson, the city military administration reported. A 74-year-old resident of Antonivka came under Russian drone attack the previous evening. An 83-year-old man came under fire in Dniprovskyi district. 

According to Air Force data, none of the five Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles were shot down. A guided Kh-59/69 aviation missile was not shot down either. Some 71 drones were neutralized: 34 were shot down and 37 were locationally lost or suppressed by electronic warfare.

Strikes hit eight locations, the Air Force confirmed.

Russia’s missile-drone terror is a direct result of Western indecision, says Dmytro Zhmailo, co-founder and executive director of the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, ArmyInform reports. 

Zhmailo emphasizes that Russian ruler Vladimir Putin cynically talks about negotiations while continuing the war, and will continue to do so until he faces an adequate response.

According to him, Russia’s strategy is simple: act decisively while Europe and the US issue hollow ultimatums, observe passively, and make empty peace declarations.

“Trump said Putin would face sanctions — but nothing followed. His latest statement was: What if Russia doesn’t come to the negotiating table? If there’s no ceasefire? I’ll leave the process,” Zhmailo notes.

In contrast, autocracies, Putin’s allies, act with far more determination. Chinese technologies support Russia’s military-industrial complex, North Korean troops are fighting, and Iran supplies Shahed drones and ballistic missiles, all of which flow into Moscow’s power arsenal. 

“Israel promised that if Iranian ballistic missiles ended up in the Russian army, it would unblock military aid to Ukraine. That hasn’t happened at all. So, Putin sees the West’s inaction, and simply raises the stakes,” he adds. 

While the Russian dictator escalates, Ukraine urgently needs to unblock Western military assistance. Fresh US aid packages are unlikely to be approved in the short term. The last $8 billion in support was backed by the previous Joe Biden administration. Recently, US Secretary of State Rubio confirmed that no new aid packages are planned.

“That’s why Europe must wake up,” Zhmailo belives.

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered separate funding to be allocated to Ukraine’s ballistic missile program in response to Russian aerial terror.

In the early hours of 26 May, Russia launched what Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as the “largest drone attack since the start of the full-scale war.” A total of 355 explosive and decoy drones and 9 air-launched cruise missiles targeted Ukraine from various directions including Bryansk, Kursk, and occupied Crimea, according to the Air Force. The air assault targeted factories and residential areas in multiple cities, injuring a teenager in Odesa. Other Russian attacks killed four and injured at least 17 Ukrainian civilians, according to local authorities and Ukraine’s Emergency Service.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported intercepting all 9 Kh-101 missiles and neutralizing 288 drones, using a combination of aviation, air defense missile systems, electronic warfare, and mobile fire groups. Despite these efforts, drone impacts were recorded in five locations, and debris fell in ten areas.

Figures from the Air Force indicate that over 60 Russian drones may have reached their targets — marking a notably lower interception rate compared to previous attacks.

Trump slams Putin as “crazy” after deadly Russian attack, but also blames Zelenskyy and Biden

Kharkiv Oblast: Explosions, fires, and casualties

According to Suspilne Kharkiv, 13 explosions were heard starting at 00:33 in Kharkiv. Kharkiv and its suburbs were under Russian drone attack, confirmed by Oleh Syniehubov, head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration (OVA). In Vasyshcheve near Kharkiv, a private enterprise caught fire after being hit by drones, as reported by the State Emergency Service.

While not attributing any casualties to the Shahed drone assault, Syniehubov stated that over the past 24 hours, other Russian strikes on six settlements in Kharkiv Oblast killed two women, 84 and 58, and injured a 60-year-old man and two women aged 76 and 68. 

Kyiv: Third night of aerial terror

According to Kyiv’s City Military Administration, Kyiv was attacked for the third consecutive night. A six-hour air raid saw damage in Dniprovskyi and Desnianskyi districts, including shattered windows in a residential building and drone fragments hitting a garage and a restaurant area.

Officials reported no injuries.

Russia’s massive missile and drone assault kills at least 12 civilians, injures 52, between two prisoner swaps

Odesa Oblast: Teenager injured, homes damaged

Odesa’s OVA and Emergency Service confirmed that drones caused the destruction of a detached home and fires in Velikodolynske. Several private homes, outbuildings, and vehicles were also damaged.

A 14-year-old boy was injured, suffering leg wounds, and received on-site medical treatment.

Khmelnytskyi Oblast: Missiles and drones hit Starokostiantyniv area

In the Starokostiantyniv community, hosting one of Ukraine’s airbases, Russia used a combined missile and drone strike, according to Khmelnytskyi Oblast head Serhii Tiurin.

Though no civilians were hurt, four enterprises suffered damage to warehouses, workshops, and admin buildings, while 18 residential homes, one outbuilding, and a power line were damaged.

Zaporizhzhia: Two injured in Yurkyvka

Zaporizhzhia’s Yurkyvka village was shelled by Russian forces on 26 May, said oblast head Ivan Fedorov. A 60-year-old woman and a 52-year-old man were injured and received medical assistance. A detached house was destroyed in the attack.

Sumy: One dead, one wounded in artillery strike

Russian artillery hit Kindrativka in Sumy’s Khotin community, killing a 48-year-old man and injuring a 52-year-old civilian, who was treated at the scene, the Oblast Administration reported.

Donetsk Oblast: Six civilians injured

On 25 May, six civilians were injured in Donetsk Oblast due to Russian attacks, regional officials confirmed.

Russia attacks Ukraine with record 273 drones, leaving one dead, multiple injured in Kyiv Oblast

Kherson: Civilian deaths and injuries

Between the mornings of 25 and 26 May, one person was killed and four others wounded in Kherson Oblast, according to its administration.

At around 10:00 this morning, a drone strike in Kherson’s Korabelnyi district injured a 46-year-old woman, who suffered a blast injury and concussion, and was treated as an outpatient.

Poland scrambles jets as precaution

Due to Russian air activity over Ukraine, Poland’s Armed Forces deployed Polish and allied aircraft, warning of increased noise over southeastern Poland.

The operational command called it the second consecutive “very intense night” for their air defense systems.

Zelenskyy: Political message, not military strategy

President Zelenskyy commented that the sheer scale of the Russian air attack had “no military logic”, arguing it was instead a political signal.

“Only the feeling of total impunity can allow Russia to strike like this,” he said.

The Ukrainian President called on international partners to increase sanctions and block Russian oil trade and financial flows to deprive Moscow of its war resources.

“This is how Putin shows his contempt for a world that puts more effort into “dialogue” with him than into applying pressure. Like any criminal, Russia can only be restrained by force. Only through strength — the strength of the United States, the strength of Europe, the strength of all nations that value life — can these attacks be fully stopped and real peace achieved,” Zelenskyy said.

Kyiv endured its third consecutive night of massive Russian drone attacks, with air raid alerts lasting six hours in the Ukrainian capital.

Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, wrote on Telegram that Russian forces struck the capital with attack drones. The assault damaged buildings in the Dniprovsky district, where windows were blown out in one residential building. Debris fell on a garage cooperative and a recreational facility.

“Fortunately, there were no casualties. Thank you to the Defense Forces for their effective work. Thank you to everyone who eliminates the consequences of attacks and helps the residents of the capital,” Tkachenko wrote.

The attack marked the third consecutive massive assault on Ukraine. Russia has conducted its most extensive missile and drone strikes of the full-scale war over the past two days. On the night of 25 May, the Russian army attacked 13 Ukrainian oblasts using dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles plus about 300 drones.

On 24 May, Russia launched a combined strike on Kyiv using ballistic missiles and drones simultaneously. The attack involved 14 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles and 250 attack drones across Ukraine. Air defense destroyed six missiles and neutralized 245 drones. Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said nine ballistic missiles targeted Kyiv specifically.

Russian forces regularly attack Ukrainian oblasts with various weapons including attack drones, missiles, guided bombs, and rocket systems. Russian leadership denies that the army deliberately targets civilian infrastructure during the full-scale war. Ukrainian authorities and international organizations classify these strikes as war crimes by the Russian Federation. They emphasize the attacks have a deliberate nature.

On the night of 26 May, Russia again launched its massive drone attack on several oblasts of Ukraine. Two civilians were injured in a night attack in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, according to oblast Governor Ivan Fedorov.

Russian army reportedly struck the village of Yurkivka, hitting a private house. The house is destroyed. The blast wave damaged nearby houses and cars. A 60-year-old woman and a 52-year-old man were injured. The victims received necessary medical care, according to Fedorov.

In Odesa Oblast, Russian attack drones destroyed a 100-square-meter residential building overnight on 26 May. The strike caused a fire that rescuers extinguished, according to the regional emergency service.

The attack damaged roofs of residential buildings, an outbuilding, two garages, cars, a fence, and a gas pipeline. At another location, two garages were destroyed and caught fire. A residential building was damaged and a car burned.

A 14-year-old resident of Velykodolynske was injured in the nighttime attack on Odesa Oblast. Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper said the boy sustained various leg wounds. Medics provided assistance on site.

More than 10 explosions occurred in Kharkiv overnight. Governor Oleh Syniehubov said that six settlements in the oblast sustained Russian attack. The shelling in Kupiansk killed an 84-year-old and a 58-year-old woman, injured a 60-year-old man and women aged 76 and 68.

In Khmelnytskyi Oblast, private households and enterprises were damaged. Oblast Governor Serhii Tyurin said there were no casualties preliminarily.

Today, 25 May, Ukraine has completed the third and final stage of a major 1000-for-1000 prisoner exchange agreement with Russia, achieved recently in Istanbul, bringing home 303 Ukrainian defenders.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the news on his official Telegram channel, stating,

“303 Ukrainian defenders are home. The third part of the 1000-for-1000 exchange, agreed in Türkiye, is complete.”

Zelenskyy highlighted that the servicemen returning to Ukraine today represent the Armed Forces, the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service, and the State Special Transport Service.

“Thank you to the team who worked around the clock to make this exchange successful,” he added, promising that Ukraine will continue efforts to bring every prisoner home.

Troops from multiple branches among those freed

According to Ukraine’s Coordination HQ for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the group included representatives from the Naval Forces, Air Forces, Air Assault Forces, and Territorial Defense Forces. All 303 returned individuals were men, with positions held at the rank-and-file or sergeant levels.

The freed defenders had previously served across several strategic regions, including Donetsk and Luhansk directions, as well as in Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Kherson, Sumy, and Chernihiv oblasts.

Of the 303 soldiers freed in this phase, 70 were Mariupol defenders, illegally held in Russian captivity since 2022. 

Officials emphasized that all released defenders would receive necessary medical assistance, rehabilitation, as well as complete financial compensation for the time spent in captivity. Ukraine also pledged full reintegration support for all those returning after prolonged isolation under Russian control.

Exchanges

The 1000-for-1000 prisoner exchange stands as the only tangible outcome of the Istanbul negotiations with Russia held on 16 May. On 23 May, Ukraine secured the release of 270 military personnel and 120 civilians from Russian captivity, including three women and 387 men. The following day, 24 May, the second phase of the large-scale swap brought another 307 people home.