World leaders have condemned Russia after it attacked Kyiv with an Oreshnik hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile in an intense assault on the capital overnight.
The combined attack included 600 strike drones and 90 air, sea, and ground-launched missiles, according to Ukraine's air force.
At least four people have been killed in the attacks, while dozens more were injured, authorities said.
Several world leaders, including French president Emmanuel Macron, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, and vice-president of the European Commission Kaja Kallas, have criticised Russia.
Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz labelled Russia’s bombardment of the Kyiv region and its use of the Oreshnik missile system as a “reckless escalation”.
Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Moscow's escalating assault on Ukrainian civilians betrays its weakness.”
It comes after Vladimir Putin ordered his military to prepare options for retaliation for a drone strike on a student dorm in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine, which Kyiv denied responsibility for.
Russia has already attacked Ukraine twice with the Oreshnik, targeting Dnipro in November 2024 and the western Lviv region in January.
Key Points
- Russia hits Kyiv with Oreshnik missile
- At least 83 injured after Russian attacks on Kyiv region
- Person dead after Russian drone targets funeral procession
- German chancellor condemns Russia's 'reckless escalation'
- Minister unable to say when stricter Russian oil sanctions will come into effect
Finland's Stubb says he can represent Europe in Ukraine peace talks if asked
04:00 , Arpan Rai
Finland’s president Alexander Stubb said he is open to representing Europe in Ukraine peace talks if he is asked.
“If you ask, it's probably something that can't be answered negatively," Stubb told Yle, Finland's public service broadcaster.
Ukraine is seeking active communication channels to end the war with Russia as US-brokered peace talks have stalled amid the conflict in the Middle East.
Foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine has asked Europe to help with the process of an airport ceasefire, a limited truce on attacks on airport facilities so that both nations can continue their air travel safely.
“We probably need a new role for Europe in our peace efforts," Sybiha has said.
Editorial: Putin will not wait for the UK to get its act together on defence
03:00 , Dan Haygarth
Nato’s joint military exercises on the London Underground are a reminder that the UK’s soft targets are underprotected and underfunded – even as our enemies are looking more dangerous than ever.
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Putin will not wait for the UK to get its act together on defence
Denmark says support for Ukraine must be increased
02:00 , Dan Haygarth
Acting PM Mette Frederiksen: Last night, Russia launched a brutal attack on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. It shows a total disregard for human life. We must increase our support to Ukraine and pressure on Russia.
— Statsministeriet (@Statsmin) May 24, 2026
Zelensky: 'Continued support from our partners is no less important'
01:00 , Dan Haygarth
Following Russia’s attack on Kyiv with an Oreshnik hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile, Volodymyr Zelensky said on X on Sunday: “I am grateful to all our services currently working at the sites of Russia’s overnight strikes: units of the State Emergency Service, the National Police, and municipal services.
“Everyone is acting as effectively as possible, given the scale of the attack and its consequences: about 100 people have been injured across the country, and four more, tragically, have been killed.
“My condolences to the families and loved ones. In Kyiv alone, about 30 residential buildings have been damaged or destroyed.
“It is very important that our people are supporting one another. I am grateful to each and every person helping those affected.
“Continued support from our partners is no less important. I am grateful to everyone now expressing words of support. But concrete steps to bolster air defense are also needed – missile deliveries must not stop for a single day.”
Full story: Putin launches huge attack on Ukraine with high speed missile and 600 drones after threatening revenge
Sunday 24 May 2026 23:59 , Daniel Haygarth
Putin launches ‘revenge’ attack on Ukraine with hypersonic missile and drones
GPS signals of RAF jet carrying defence secretary ‘jammed by Russia’
Sunday 24 May 2026 23:40 , Dan Haygarth
An RAF jet carrying the defence secretary had its signals jammed as it flew near the Russian border this week.
John Healey was travelling back to the UK from Estonia, where he had been visiting British soldiers, when the electronic attack happened, according to The Times.
It is thought Russia was behind the incident on Thursday, which meant that smartphones and laptops were unable to connect to the internet and pilots had to use a different navigation system as the plane’s GPS was disabled for the entire three-hour flight.
A defence source told The Independent: “This is reckless Russian interference, but the RAF is well prepared to deal with this activity.”
Read more:
GPS signals of RAF jet carrying defence secretary ‘jammed by Russia’
Missile attacks on Ukraine demonstrate Putin’s ‘weakness’, Cooper says
Sunday 24 May 2026 23:00 , Daniel Haygarth
Vladimir Putin’s attack on Kyiv and other cities has shown his “weakness”, foreign secretary Yvette Cooper said after Ukraine was hit by a hypersonic missile and drone barrage.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia used the hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile during the attacks.
Mr Zelensky said around 100 people were wounded in the attacks, with four killed, and he issued a fresh call for Ukraine’s allies to help with air defence weapons.
The Ukrainian leader said 90 missiles of various types and 600 drones were used by Russia.
“Unfortunately, not all of the ballistic missiles were intercepted – the largest number of hits was in Kyiv,” he said.
“Kyiv was the primary target of this Russian attack.”
He said the Oreshnik, which is capable of carrying nuclear or conventional warheads, struck the city of Bila Tserkva.
Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said: “This strike was probably meant to demonstrate ‘strength’ to the domestic audience, but instead it only confirms Putin’s weakness.
“Even Russians see that he is a loser.”
Ms Cooper said: “Awful scenes in Kyiv and across Ukraine overnight after another massive Russian attack.
“I agree with Andrii – Moscow’s escalating assault on Ukrainian civilians betrays its weakness.”
Ukraine says it hit oil pumping station in Russia's Vladimir region
Sunday 24 May 2026 22:23 , Dan Haygarth
Ukraine's SBU security service said its drones attacked an oil pumping dispatch station in Russia's Vladimir region on Sunday, adding that the facility was an important node in pumping oil products southwest to Moscow and its surrounding area.
"It supplies fuel to major oil depots around Moscow and to Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, and Vnukovo airports," the SBU said in a statement on social media. It added that a fire over an area spanning 800 square metres (8,600 square feet) was recorded after the strike.
The governor of Vladimir Region, Alexander Avdeyev, said in a social media post that the fire near the town of Kameshkovo had been extinguished.
Avdeyev's post, quoted by Interfax news agency, referred only to the fire being at an infrastructure site and gave no indication that it was linked to the oil industry.
RAF jet carrying Defence Secretary has GPS signal jammed near Russian border
Sunday 24 May 2026 22:02 , Dan Haygarth
An RAF jet which the defence secretary was travelling in had its signals jammed as it flew near the Russian border.
John Healey had been visiting British soldiers in Estonia and was travelling back to the UK when the electronic attack happened, the Times first reported.
It is thought Russia was behind the incident on Thursday.
Smartphones and laptops were unable to connect to the internet and pilots had to use a different navigation system as the plane’s GPS was disabled for the entire three-hour flight.
It is not known if Mr Healey was deliberately targeted but the flight path was visible on aircraft tracking websites, the newspaper reported.
Passengers, who included photographers and a reporter, were told the Dassault Falcon 900LX aircraft could still operate safely.
The incident comes just days after the Ministry of Defence (MoD) revealed two Russian jets had been “repeatedly and dangerously” intercepted an RAF spy plane above the Black Sea.
A Russian Su-35 jet flew so close to the British reconnaissance aircraft that it triggered its emergency systems, including disabling the autopilot.
One of the nation’s Su-27s also flew six metres from the unarmed Rivet Joint’s nose and carried out six passes in front.
The MoD said it was the most dangerous Russian action against a British Rivet Joint aircraft since a plane fired a missile over the Black Sea in 2022.
In March 2024, an RAF plane carrying the then-defence secretary Grant Shapps had its GPS signal jammed while flying near Russian territory.
The satellite signal was interfered with for about 30 minutes while the flight was heading back to the UK from Poland.
Metsola says 'we will not be silent'
Sunday 24 May 2026 22:00 , Dan Haygarth
President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola says “we will not be silent”, after Russia attack.
Russia's latest indiscriminate attacks on Kyiv and Ukrainian cities have killed and injured yet more innocent people.
— Roberta Metsola (@EP_President) May 24, 2026
We will not be silent. These acts of brutality do not serve to strengthen Russia's hand. It weakens it.
The brave people of Ukraine remain resilient and Europe…
Russia hits Ukraine with Oreshnik missile in one of war's biggest attacks on Kyiv
Sunday 24 May 2026 20:00 , Dan Haygarth
Russia pounded Kyiv and surrounding areas with hundreds of drones and missiles on Sunday in one of the heaviest bombardments of the city since the start of the four-year war, firing an Oreshnik hypersonic missile near the capital, Reuters reports.
Russia's hours-long overnight barrage killed four people and wounded nearly 100, according to Ukrainian officials, and authorities said dozens of residential buildings and several schools had been damaged, many in the centre of Kyiv.
"It's important that this does not remain without consequences for Russia," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on the Telegram messaging app, urging Ukraine's allies to act. "Decisions are needed - from the United States, from Europe and others."
How Ukraine and Russia’s drone war spread into Europe as Putin ‘hijacks’ Kyiv’s weapons in mid-air
Sunday 24 May 2026 19:19 , Daniel Haygarth
Ukraine has developed unprecedented drone technology after being invaded by the Russian superpower, but now Moscow appears to be using the aircraft against Kyiv, threatening to cause chaos in Europe, reports Maira Butt. Read below.
How Ukraine and Russia’s drone war spread to Europe as Putin ‘hijacks’ Kyiv’s weapons
Zelensky praises emergency services as Ukraine deals with aftermath of deadly strikes in Kyiv
Sunday 24 May 2026 18:00 , Harriette Boucher
Usyk says his daughter texted him from bomb shelter minutes before Verhoeven fight
Sunday 24 May 2026 17:20 , Harriette Boucher
Ukraine's Kostyuk keeps focus in Paris after missile strike near parents' home
Sunday 24 May 2026 16:40 , Harriette Boucher
Hours after a Russian missile slammed near her family home in Kyiv, Marta Kostyuk walked onto the French Open clay on Sunday with photos of the blast fresh in her mind: shattered buildings metres from where her mother and sister had spent the night.
The 23-year-old, who advanced to the second round at Roland Garros, said she was overwhelmed with anxiety after receiving pictures of the damage close to the house where her mother, sister and aunt were staying.
“I felt sick just for the thought that if it was 100 metres closer, I probably wouldn’t have a mum and a sister today, Kostyuk told reporters after beating Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-2 6-3.
“Tennis is a mental game, but today it was something completely different. I didn’t know how my focus was going to be or if I would even be able to control my thoughts.”
Kostyuk said the strike came during a night of attacks that lasted several hours and left people exhausted and shaken.
Kyiv and surrounding areas were hit with hundreds of drones and missiles in one of the heaviest bombardments of the Ukrainian capital since Russia's invasion four years ago.
Ukraine says it hit oil pumping station in Russia's Vladimir region
Sunday 24 May 2026 16:11 , Harriette Boucher
Ukraine's SBU security service said its drones attacked an oil pumping dispatch station in Russia's Vladimir region on Sunday, adding that the facility was an important node in the pumping of oil products to Moscow and its surrounding area.
“It supplies fuel to major oil depots around Moscow and to Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, and Vnukovo airports,” the SBU said in a statement on social media.
It said the a fire over an area spanning 800 square metres was recorded after the strike.
Europe Putin launches ‘revenge’ attack with high speed missile and 600 drones
Sunday 24 May 2026 15:39 , Harriette Boucher
Putin launches ‘revenge’ attack on Ukraine with hypersonic missile and drones
Yvette Cooper: 'Moscow's escalating assault on Ukrainian civilians betrays its weakness'
Sunday 24 May 2026 15:00 , Harriette Boucher
Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper has said Russia’s “escalating assault on Ukrainian civilians betrays its weakness.”
She said: “Awful scenes in Kyiv and across Ukraine overnight after another massive Russian attack.
“We will keep up pressure on Russia. The UK is resolute in our support for Ukraine.”
World leaders criticise Russian attacks and offer support to Ukraine
Sunday 24 May 2026 14:30 , Harriette Boucher
France condemns Russian overnight attack on Ukraine with ballistic missile
Sunday 24 May 2026 14:00 , Harriette Boucher
Emmanuel Macron has condemned the Russian overnight attack against Kyiv, which included the launch of a ballistic missile Oreshnik.
The French president said: “France condemns this attack and the use of the Oreshnik ballistic missile, which above all signify a form of escalation and the impasse of Russia’s war of aggression.”
He reiterated his country's commitment to supporting Ukraine.
How Ukraine and Russia’s drone war spread into Europe as Putin ‘hijacks’ Kyiv’s weapons in midair
Sunday 24 May 2026 13:31 , Harriette Boucher
Ukraine has developed unprecedented drone technology after being invaded by the Russian superpower, but now Moscow appears to be using the aircraft against Kyiv, threatening to cause chaos in Europe, reports Maira Butt:
How Ukraine and Russia’s drone war spread to Europe as Putin ‘hijacks’ Kyiv’s weapons
In pictures: Ukraine's emergency service workers deal with aftermath of Russian attacks
Sunday 24 May 2026 13:00 , Harriette Boucher
Usyk reveals heartbreaking text from daughter in bomb shelter before Verhoeven fight
Sunday 24 May 2026 12:30 , Harriette Boucher
German chancellor condemns Russia's 'reckless escalation'
Sunday 24 May 2026 11:54 , Harriette Boucher
Germany’s chancellor has condemned Russia’s bombardment of the Kyiv region and its use of the Oreshnik missile system.
Friedrich Merz said: “On the night before Pentecost Sunday, Russia launched a massive attack on civilian targets in Ukraine.
“The German government strongly condemns this reckless escalation. Germany continues to stand firmly by Ukraine.”
Analysis: Trump is doing a Ukraine on Taiwan. And it exposes a startling new level of US weakness
Sunday 24 May 2026 11:30 , Harriette Boucher
Trump has suspended weapons sales to Taiwan in a move that again shows he favours potential enemies over allies, explains world affairs editor Sam Kiley:
Trump is doing a Ukraine on Taiwan. It exposes a startling new level of US weakness
Brit, 23, killed in action in Ukraine after joining specialist unit supporting army
Sunday 24 May 2026 11:00 , Harriette Boucher
A 23-year-old British man, Ayrton Redfearn, was killed in action in Ukraine's Donetsk region on 9 May.
From Devon, Mr. Redfearn had joined a specialist unit supporting the Ukrainian army in 2025, his mother, Natasha, told the BBC, adding she "lived in fear of the police coming to my door with bad news."
"This fear became reality on the evening of 11 May and the world of myself, and Ayrton’s 10-year-old brother, then fell apart," she said.
Mr. Redfearn was a Torquay Air Cadet as a child, joining the RAF at 17 before traveling overseas.
Read here:
Brit, 23, killed in Ukraine after joining specialist unit supporting army
Minister unable to say when stricter Russian oil sanctions will come into effect
Sunday 24 May 2026 10:30 , Athena Stavrou
A government minister has been unable to say when stricter UK sanctions on Russian oil will come into place.
The government previously said it would block Russian oil refined in third countries in a bid to “further restrict the flow of funds to the Kremlin”.
But, with prices surging as a result of the Iran war, Sir Keir Starmer will now allow imports of jet fuel and diesel made from Russian oil and refined in other countries until further notice.
The move was condemned by senior Labour figures and branded “insane” by opposition.
On Sunday, cabinet office minister Darren Jones said he did not know when the stricter measures will come into place.
"I don't know the precise date. You have to forgive me, but it is normal, as the prime minister said, to transition from A to B,” he told Sky News.
Asked if this could go on for years, he said: "I'm not sure that's the intention of the government.”
Zelensky: 'Russia must have consequences'
Sunday 24 May 2026 10:00 , Harriette Boucher
Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Moscow must have consequences, as he calls the Russia leader “unhinged”.
In a post on social media, the Ukrainian president said: “Putin can’t even pronounce the word ‘hurrah’ clearly anymore – slurs and mumbles – yet he is still vanquishing residential buildings with his missiles. Launched three Russian missiles against a water supply facility. Burned down a market. Damaged dozens of residential buildings. Hit several ordinary schools. Launched his “Oreshnik” against Bila Tserkva.
“They really are unhinged. It is important that this does not pass without consequences for Russia. Today, everyone in the world who will not stay silent and chooses to help Ukraine is a defender of life. It is critically important to continue working to secure air defense for Ukraine, especially anti-ballistic capabilities.
“We are doing our best to achieve peace and protect people – everything. It is important that Ukraine is not alone. Decisions are needed – from the United States, from Europe and others – to make that old “Oreshnik” in Moscow finally utter the word “peace.”
Ukraine's military says it hit oil loading dock in Russia's Krasnodar Krai
Sunday 24 May 2026 09:45 , Harriette Boucher
Ukraine's military hit an oil loading dock at the Tamanneftegaz terminal in Russia's Krasnodar Krai region overnight, damaging an oil loading arm, it said.
At least 83 injured after Russian attacks on Kyiv region, Zelensky says
Sunday 24 May 2026 09:28 , Harriette Boucher
Volodymyr Zelensky said at least 83 people have been confirmed injured since midnight following Russia’s attacks on Kyiv and the surrounding region.
“Tragically, there are fatalities. My condolences to the families and loved ones,” he added.
Health authorities have said at least four people have died.
Huge Russian attack on Kyiv injures dozens, Ukrainian officials say
Sunday 24 May 2026 09:16 , Harriette Boucher
In pictures: Russian targets Kyiv with missile and drones
Sunday 24 May 2026 09:06 , Harriette Boucher
Canadian PM condemns Russian missile and drone attacks
Sunday 24 May 2026 08:30 , Harriette Boucher
Sunday 24 May 2026 08:26 , Sam Rkaina
Russia hit Ukraine's Kyiv region with an Oreshnik hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile, Ukraine's air force has said.
Ukraine's air force said in a statement on social media that Russia had launched 600 drones and 90 missiles in its attack, and that one of the missiles was an intermediate-range ballistic missile, without naming it.
Russia pounds Kyiv with missiles and drones, shaking city center and injuring 10
Sunday 24 May 2026 07:47 , Harriette Boucher
Russia attacked Kyiv with missiles and drones overnight Sunday in an intense assault that shook buildings across the city center, including near government offices, residential buildings and schools.
At least 10 people were injured, local authorities said, citing preliminary figures. Air raid sirens blared through the night as smoke billowed across the city from strikes. Associated Press reporters heard powerful explosions near the city center and close to government buildings.
The attack was ongoing by sunrise Sunday, with more missiles and drones expected to reach Kyiv.
Damage was recorded across at least nine districts of the capital including residential buildings, Kyiv military administration head Tymur Tkachenko said in a Telegram post.
In Kyiv’s Shevchenko district, a school building was damaged by an attack while people sheltered inside, Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said. Local authorities reported supermarkets and warehouses across the city also were damaged.
Russia pounds Kyiv with missiles and drones, shaking city center and injuring 10
Poland says its airspace not violated during Russian strikes on Ukraine
Sunday 24 May 2026 07:25 , Harriette Boucher
Poland detected no violations of its airspace after activating military aviation operations on Sunday, following Russian strikes on Ukraine, the Polish armed forces said.
The operation were preventive, aimed at safeguarding Polish airspace, particularly in areas next to threatened regions, the army had posted on X.
Russian missile and drone attack kills four, officials say
Sunday 24 May 2026 07:19 , Harriette Boucher
Russia struck Ukraine's capital Kyiv on Sunday with a massive wave of missiles and drones that killed several people and damaged residential buildings and schools.
Local officials said the attack killed four people in Ukraine's capital city Kyiv and the surrounding region.
Two people were killed in the capital itself, while two were killed in the Kyiv region.
Zelensky's tweet in full
Sunday 24 May 2026 02:30 , Dan Haygarth
Our intelligence services reported receiving data, including from American and European partners, about Russia preparing a strike with the Oreshnik missile. We are verifying this information.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 23, 2026
We are seeing signs of preparation for a combined strike on Ukrainian territory,…
Comment: This is why easing Russia’s oil sanctions is a gut punch to Ukraine
Sunday 24 May 2026 01:30 , Daniel Haygarth
The PM’s decision to ease oil sanctions on Russia will kill Ukrainians and enfeeble Britain, and is a stain on the national reputation, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley, who has spent more than 11 years covering the region.
This is why easing Russia’s oil sanctions is a gut punch to Ukraine
Russia says 16 killed in strike on student dorm that it blamed on Ukraine
Sunday 24 May 2026 00:30 , Dan Haygarth
The death toll from a drone strike on a student dorm in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine has risen to 16, with most of the victims young women, Russian officials said on Saturday, after a heated UN debate on the incident.
Vladimir Putin ordered his military to prepare options for retaliation against Ukraine on Friday after Moscow accused Kyiv of what it described as a deliberate drone strike on a college in the town of Starobilsk.
Ukraine's military denied responsibility for the attack, saying it had struck an elite drone command unit in the area and that its forces complied with international humanitarian law. Putin said there were no military facilities in the area.
Reuters said it was not able to independently verify what happened.
At the scene on Saturday, a crane was working to remove rubble from a yawning gap in the building. Inside one shattered classroom, bricks and dust covered rows of student desks with "I love English" written on the wall. Elsewhere, a stairwell was blocked by debris.
Zelensky: 'Please take care of yourselves and use shelters tonight'
Saturday 23 May 2026 23:32 , Dan Haygarth
The Ukrainian leader wrote on X: “Our intelligence services reported receiving data, including from American and European partners, about Russia preparing a strike with the Oreshnik missile. We are verifying this information.
“We are seeing signs of preparation for a combined strike on Ukrainian territory, including Kyiv, involving various types of weaponry. The specified intermediate-range weapons could be used in such a strike. It is important to act responsibly on air-raid alerts, starting this evening. Russian madness truly knows no bounds, so please protect your lives – use shelters.
“Second, we are drawing the attention of our partners in the United States and in Europe to the fact that the use of such weapons and the prolongation of this war also sets a global precedent for other potential aggressors. If Russia is allowed to destroy lives on such a scale, then no agreement will restrain other similar hatred-based regimes from aggression and strikes. We count on a response from the world – and on a response that is not post factum, but preventive. Pressure must be put on Moscow so that it does not expand the war.
“Third, we are preparing our air defense as much as possible, and we will respond fully justly to every Russian strike. We have given permission for a parade, but Russia has no permission for madness. This war must be ended – we need peace, not some missiles satisfying the sick ambitions of one individual. I thank everyone helping to protect lives. Once again, please take care of yourselves and use shelters tonight.”
'Escalatory and unacceptable' - Britain, France and Germany on the Oreshnik use in January
Saturday 23 May 2026 22:25 , Dan Haygarth
The leaders of Britain, France and Germany in January described Russia's use of an Oreshnik ballistic missile in western Ukraine as "escalatory and unacceptable".
Zelensky said that Kyiv counts on a response from the world and on a "response that is not post factum, but preventive."
Pressure must be put on Moscow so that it does not expand the war, he added.
Full story: Ukrainian drone attack sparks huge fire at key Russian oil terminal
Saturday 23 May 2026 20:50 , Daniel Haygarth
Ukrainian drone attack sparks huge fire at key Russian oil terminal
Russia preparing strike on Ukraine using hypersonic 'Oreshnik' missile, Zelensky says
Saturday 23 May 2026 19:54 , Dan Haygarth
Russia is preparing a strike against Ukraine using a hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile, Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday, citing intelligence from Ukraine, the US and Europe.
The warning came a day after Vladimir Putin ordered his military to prepare options for retaliation against Ukraine for a drone strike on a student dorm in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine's military denied responsibility for that attack.
"We are seeing signs of preparation for a combined strike on Ukrainian territory, including Kyiv, involving various types of weaponry. The specified intermediate-range weapons could be used in such a strike," Zelensky said in an X post that did not mention the drone attack.
Russia has already attacked Ukraine twice with the Oreshnik, a missile which President Vladimir Putin has boasted is impossible to intercept because of its reported velocity of more than 10 times the speed of sound.
Moscow first fired an Oreshnik against what it said was a military factory in Ukraine in November 2024. On that occasion Ukrainian sources said the missile was carrying dummy warheads, not explosives, and caused limited damage.
The second attack was in January 2026, and the missile struck Lviv region in the west of the country.
"We are drawing the attention of our partners in the United States and in Europe to the fact that the use of such weapons and the prolongation of this war also sets a global precedent for other potential aggressors," Zelensky said.
The leaders of Britain, France and Germany in January described Russia's use of an Oreshnik ballistic missile in western Ukraine as "escalatory and unacceptable".
Zelenskiy said that Kyiv counts on a response from the world and on a "response that is not post factum, but preventive."
Pressure must be put on Moscow so that it does not expand the war, he added.
Watch: Nato tests ‘deep strike’ missile operations from London Tube station to prepare for Russian attack
Saturday 23 May 2026 18:30 , Harriette Boucher
Zelensky: 'Ukraine’s place in the EU must be full and equal'
Saturday 23 May 2026 17:30 , Harriette Boucher
Ukraine is actively working to to become a member of the EU, as it “fights for its life”, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
“There can be no complete European project without Ukraine, and Ukraine’s place in the European Union must also be complete – full and equal,” the Ukrainian president wrote on social media.
“It is important to open the clusters. It is important to make meaningful progress in the negotiations. It is important to work at one hundred percent for security and for our people.”
“Ukraine is fighting for its life, for its independence, and for the Europe that has lived in peace the longest, that protects people, life and culture, and that, thanks to this protection, plays a truly global role.”
Earlier, President Zelensky said Germany’s proposal to grant Ukraine “associate” member of the EU was “unfair” because it would leave Kyiv without a voice inside the box.
In pictures: Ukrainians take part in 'Wild Drones' competition
Saturday 23 May 2026 16:30 , Harriette Boucher
Russia becoming more reckless and dangerous as Ukraine war falters, foreign secretary warns
Saturday 23 May 2026 15:30 , Harriette Boucher
Russia’s deteriorating performance on the battlefield is rendering it “more reckless and dangerous”, the foreign secretary has warned, declaring that the post-Cold War “peace dividend” has vanished.
Speaking after a Nato foreign ministers’ meeting in Sweden, Yvette Cooper highlighted the escalating threat posed by Moscow’s unpredictability.
“We discussed in the Nato foreign ministers’ meeting how Russia’s weakening on the battlefield against Ukraine is also making them more reckless and dangerous,” she said.
Ms Cooper detailed how Russia, despite being under immense pressure from Ukraine’s military response and economic challenges, is becoming increasingly unpredictable.
This manifests in “escalating attacks on Ukrainian civilians, increasing hybrid threats across the continent, and reports of drone incursions”. She added that the threat from Russia is expanding across “air, land, sea, space, cyber and information warfare”.
Russia becoming more reckless and dangerous as Ukraine war falters, Cooper warns
Death toll in student dorm strike rises to 16
Saturday 23 May 2026 15:05 , Harriette Boucher
The death toll from a drone strike on a student dorm in the Luhansk region has risen to 16, with most of the victims young women, Russian officials said on Saturday.
Russia's state-run news agency RIA reported that five people remained trapped under the rubble.
Person dead after Russian drone targets funeral procession
Saturday 23 May 2026 14:31 , Harriette Boucher
A Russian drone has killed one person after striking a funeral procession on the outskirts of the northeast Ukrainian city of Sumy on Saturday.
Another nine people were injured in the attack, local authorities said.
Local media reported that a guided attack drone had hit the road near a bus.
Ukraine denies Russian claims of deadly drone strike in Luhansk
Saturday 23 May 2026 13:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Ukraine has denied Russian claims that a Ukrainian drone strike in Luhansk Oblast killed six people and injured dozens of children.
Russia said the strike hit a dormitory linked to a college in Starobilsk, and Russian president Vladimir Putin condemned the attack.
Moscow also requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
Ukraine’s General Staff called the accusations misleading information and said its drones targeted Russian military infrastructure in the area overnight on 22 May, including ammunition depots, air defence systems, command posts, and a headquarters linked to Russia’s elite drone unit, the Rubikon Center for Unmanned Technologies.
Ukraine said the Rubikon unit regularly carries out attacks on Ukrainian civilians and insisted it only strikes military targets in line with international law.
Proposal of associate EU membership 'unfair', says Zelensky
Saturday 23 May 2026 12:30 , Harriette Boucher
Germany’s proposal to grant Ukraine”associate” member of the EU was “unfair” because it would leave Kyiv without a voice inside the box, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
Friedrich Merz has suggested allowing Ukraine to participate in EU meetings without a vote as an interim step to full membership of the bloc, which he said could help facilitate a deal to end the four-year-old war triggered by Russia's invasion.
In a letter to EU leaders, Zelensky said that the removal of Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban - a staunch opponent of Ukraine's EU membership - following elections last month created the opportunity for substantive progress on accession talks.
“It would be unfair for Ukraine to be present in the European Union, but remain voiceless.
“The time is right to move forward with Ukraine's membership in a full and meaningful way."
Falling drone debris causes fire at oil terminal in Russia's Novorossiysk
Saturday 23 May 2026 11:30 , Harriette Boucher
Falling debris from drones has caused a fire to break out at a oil terminal in Russia’s Black Sea port port of Novorossiysk.
Officials said two people, who had been in the street when the drones hit the port, were injured and being treated in hospital.
Drones also damaged private houses farther north in the port city of Anapa, officials said.
Russia also intercepted Ukrainian drones targeting an industrial facility in Perm, regional governor Dmitry Makhonin on Saturday.
Death toll rises to 10 in attack on student dorm
Saturday 23 May 2026 10:30 , Harriette Boucher
The death toll from the drone strike on a student dorm in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine has risen to 10, a Russian official has said.
Another 48 people have been injured and 11 remain unaccounted for, Leonid Pasechni stated.
Russia has threatened to retaliate over the deadly attack, accusing Ukraine of what it described as a deliberate drone strike in the town of Starobilsk.
Ukraine's military denied the Russian accusations and said it had struck an elite drone command unit in the area. It said that Kyiv complied with international humanitarian law.
Russia becoming ‘more reckless’ as Moscow weakened by war – Yvette Cooper
Saturday 23 May 2026 10:00 , Stuti Mishra
A weaker performance on the battlefield is making Russia “more reckless and dangerous”, the Foreign Secretary has warned.
Yvette Cooper said the peace dividend which began when the Cold War ended is “gone”, following a meeting of Nato foreign ministers in Sweden.
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Russia becoming ‘more reckless’ as Moscow weakened by war – Yvette Cooper
Death toll in student dorm strike rises to 10, Russian-installed official says
Saturday 23 May 2026 09:52 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Russia says a Ukrainian drone strike on a student dorm in Russian-controlled Luhansk has killed 10 people, injured 48, and left 11 missing.
Earlier, it was reported that six were killed.
Moscow called it a deliberate attack on civilians, and Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered possible retaliation plans.
Ukraine denies targeting civilians, saying it actually struck a Russian elite drone command unit in the area and that the operation followed international law.
Unexploded drone removed from high-rise apartment in Ukraine after Russia strike
Saturday 23 May 2026 09:30 , Harriette Boucher
Fire at Ukrainian electrical substation partially cuts power to nuclear plant, IAEA says
Saturday 23 May 2026 09:00 , Stuti Mishra
A fire at a Ukrainian electrical substation caused by military activity has partially disconnected a nuclear power station from its external power supply, the International Atomic Energy Agency said on Friday.
Firefighters were tackling the blaze at the Dniprovska 750-kilovolt substation, which also provides external power to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant — Europe's largest, seized by Russia in 2022. As a result, the South Ukraine nuclear plant was partially disconnected from the grid at the request of the grid operator, the IAEA said.
IAEA director general Rafael Grossi expressed "deep concern," saying "such substations that are critical for nuclear safety must never be targeted."
The Zaporizhzhia plant generates no electricity but requires power to keep its nuclear fuel cool. One of its external lines has been down since 24 March, with the IAEA trying to arrange a ceasefire to carry out repairs. The head of Russia's Rosatom said this week the situation around the plant was reaching the "point of no return" due to increased Ukrainian attacks. Ukraine relies on nuclear power for up to 80 per cent of its energy needs since the Russian invasion.
Nato turns London Tube into ‘deep strike’ underground HQ to plan for Russian attack
Saturday 23 May 2026 08:30 , Harriette Boucher
The Independent world affairs editor Sam Kiley reports:
Nato forces have taken over a London Tube station to use as their underground HQ as they simulate launching “deep strike” operations on Russia in the event of an attack on a member state.
In a ramping up of preparations for war, the UK-led Nato Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) moved its military capability to a disused platform at Charing Cross station.
As part of Operation Arrcade Strike, soldiers are testing Nato’s capacity to use electronic warfare to jam Russia’s communications and down the Kremlin’s drones in the event of a Russian invasion of a Baltic country.
Defence sources said the UK only has enough drones to fight for a week, using a few hundred a day, which is well below the quantity that is needed. In Ukraine, that amounts to thousands per day in non-stop use, amid continued pleas from generals for Europe’s defence industry to help meet the challenge of a strategic threat.
Speaking from the Tube platform, US general Christopher Donahue, head of Nato’s Land Command, delivered an unvarnished warning to the alliance, saying that Nato has little time to prepare to meet a potential Russian attack.
“Mission-ready by 2030 is not a slogan, it is what we must do,” he said. “Legacy forms of mobilisation and movement are no longer a given Nato advantage, and a lack of protection in depth will be used against us.”
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Nato tests missile operations from Tube station to prepare for Russian attack
Russia lost over 1.35 million troops in Ukraine war, Kyiv says
Saturday 23 May 2026 08:29 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Russia has lost around 1,354,810 troops in Ukraine since the start of its full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022, according to Ukraine’s General Staff.
Ukraine also claims that Russia has lost large quantities of military equipment, including 11,949 tanks, 24,599 armoured combat vehicles, 42,579 artillery systems, 436 aircraft, 353 helicopters, more than 306,000 drones, 33 warships and boats, and two submarines.
Ukraine has not publicly disclosed its own military losses, citing operational secrecy. However, independent Western assessments suggest Russian casualties are significantly higher than Ukraine’s, The Kyiv Independent reported.
The Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates the casualty ratio to be “roughly 2.5:1 or 2:1” in Ukraine’s favour.
Falling drone debris triggers fire at oil terminal in Russia's Novorossiysk
Saturday 23 May 2026 07:56 , Stuti Mishra
Falling debris from drones triggered a fire at an oil terminal in Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossiysk and one person was injured, officials said this morning.
The General Headquarters of southern Krasnodar Region, posting on Telegram, said several technical and administrative buildings had caught fire. Debris had also fallen on the facility's oil storage terminal.
Pete Hegseth facing bipartisan pressure over $600 million Ukraine aid package
Saturday 23 May 2026 07:28 , Harriette Boucher
A bipartisan group of senators is pushing back on delays by the Department of Defense in sending $600 million in security aid to Ukraine and other allies in eastern Europe, dispatching a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday that calls for the funding to be disbursed.
Friction has grown between Congress and the Trump administration in recent weeks as lawmakers from both sides of the aisle push for updates on what has happened with $400 million in Ukraine and $200 million more for defense programs in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
The money was allocated by Congress last year.
Even Republican lawmakers have aired their frustration as President Donald Trump's administration disengages with Ukraine and other European allies.
“Ukraine has persistently and bravely repelled a four-year Russian onslaught, but its military needs and deserves continued American support,” said Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin and Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley in the joint letter.
Pete Hegseth facing bipartisan pressure over $600 million Ukraine aid package
Russia becoming ‘more reckless’ as Moscow weakened by war – Yvette Cooper
Saturday 23 May 2026 04:00 , Bryony Gooch
A weaker performance on the battlefield is making Russia “more reckless and dangerous”, the UK foreign secretary has warned.
Yvette Cooper said the peace dividend which began when the Cold War ended is “gone”, following a meeting of Nato foreign ministers in Sweden.
She said: “We discussed in the Nato foreign ministers’ meeting how Russia’s weakening on the battlefield against Ukraine is also making them more reckless and dangerous.
“In the face of that threat and the ongoing global instability, the Nato alliance is vital and enduring, but within it Europe and the UK must do more.
“We have already been stepping up with significantly increased defence investment but we have to face up to the need to do much more so we properly protect our citizens.
“Russia is now under huge pressure from Ukraine’s military response and from economic challenges but that is making them more unpredictable with escalating attacks on Ukrainian civilians, increasing hybrid threats across the continent, and reports of drone incursions.
“The threat from Russia is increasing on air, land, sea, space, cyber and information warfare.”
