Monday, May 18Monday, May 18A large-scale Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities over two days (May 14–15, 2026) resulted in at least 24 deaths, including three children, marking one of the deadliest assaults since the war began in 2022. The strikes primarily targeted residential areas in Kyiv, with a missile hitting an apartment building in the Darnytskyi district. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks as deliberate destruction, framing Ukraine’s defense as a bulwark for Europe against unchecked aggression. He also criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent claims of seeking peace, arguing the strikes contradicted such assertions .
The assault involved hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, with Russia conducting its largest aerial barrage in four years. Kyiv entered a day of mourning for the victims, while rescue workers continued searching rubble for survivors. The attacks drew widespread condemnation from EU leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who accused Russia of undermining peace efforts and demonstrating a lack of willingness to negotiate .
In retaliation, Ukraine reportedly launched drone strikes on Russian military and energy infrastructure, including a major fire at the Ryazan Oil Refinery—one of Russia’s largest fuel facilities—and disruptions at Gazprom’s Astrakhan gas plant. These targets are considered critical to Russia’s war effort. Russian Telegram channels confirmed the attacks, which followed the deadly strikes on Kyiv .
While Russia intensified its bombardment of Kyiv, its advance in eastern Ukraine slowed, according to reports. The sustained attacks have dashed hopes of a ceasefire, with Ukrainian officials accusing Putin of escalating the war despite diplomatic overtures .
> Background: **Russia launches deadly strikes on Kyiv as Ukraine hits back at Russian energy sites.** — *1 hours ago*
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Death toll from large-scale Russian attack that slammed Ukraine rises to 24 The drone and missile barrage, that mostly targeted Kyiv, marked one of Russias largest attacks in the past four years. Many EU leaders voiced support for Ukraine.
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mastodon bot · 3 days ago
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mastodon bot · 3 days ago
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telegram bot · 3 days ago
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mastodon bot · 3 days ago
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independent · 3 days ago
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mastodon bot · 3 days ago
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