On the night of 23–24 May 2026, Russia carried out a large-scale combined air assault on Ukraine, launching approximately 600 attack drones, 54 cruise missiles, and over 30 ballistic missiles, including the intermediate-range Oreshnik. The strikes hit civilian infrastructure across Kyiv, Odesa, Sumy, Poltava and Kyiv regions. As of 23:00 on 24 May, four people had been killed — two in Kyiv and two in the surrounding region — and 86 wounded, among them three children.
Combined assault devastates residential and educational sites
The attack began on the evening of 23 May with ballistic missiles and drones targeting Odesa region. Shortly after 01:00 on 24 May, a second, heavier wave struck Kyiv and its suburbs. In the capital, damage was recorded in at least eight districts. In Darnytskyi district, debris from drones and missiles damaged a dormitory, non-residential buildings, a car repair shop and parked vehicles. A 16-storey residential block in Obolon was set on fire after a direct drone hit. In Shevchenkivskyi district, a 24-storey residential building suffered severe structural damage to its upper floors, and a school was hit, with a fire breaking out on the second floor. Another educational facility was struck by debris, burying the entrance to a basement shelter where civilians had taken refuge. A business centre was also hit, trapping people inside its shelter. A gas pipe was severed and ignited between buildings, and the blast wave damaged windows in nearby high-rises. At one metro station, doors and escalator components were blown out.
Oreshnik ballistic missile used in deliberate escalation
In the Kyiv region, the city of Bila Tserkva was struck by an Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile around 01:30, causing a series of powerful explosions. In Vyshhorod, a drone hit an apartment block, and in villages across Fastivskyi district private homes were damaged. The Oreshnik — a medium-range ballistic weapon — was deployed against a civilian city, a move that Ukrainian and Western sources describe as a deliberate escalation and a test of new missile technology on a civilian population. The weapon’s range and speed make it particularly difficult to intercept and represent a growing threat beyond Ukraine’s borders.
Kremlin signals disregard for peace efforts
The timing of the attack, coming shortly after President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing, strengthens the view that Moscow is not interested in genuine negotiations. Official statements from the Kremlin about a readiness for dialogue are seen as a cover for preparing further strikes. The systematic destruction of residential areas and energy infrastructure is aimed at making Ukrainian cities uninhabitable and breaking civilian morale, while the Russian army struggles to make significant gains on the front line. The attack also highlights a pattern: Russia escalates precisely when the international community seeks diplomatic solutions.
West urged to lift restrictions and boost air defence
Ukrainian officials and allied experts argue that the only language the Kremlin understands is force. They are calling for the immediate removal of all restrictions on the use of Western-supplied weapons for strikes against military targets inside Russia, as well as a significant increase in deliveries of modern air defence systems such as Patriot and SAMP/T. The assault comes less than a month after previous large-scale attacks, underlining the need for sustained defensive support. There are also renewed demands to tighten sanctions on Russia’s defence industry, particularly to cut off access to Western microchips and components found in the wreckage of Russian missiles. Proponents of greater military aid warn that Russian missiles and drones regularly violate the airspace of neighbouring NATO members, and that failure to stop Moscow in Ukraine could put Baltic states or Poland next on the list of targets.
