In the early hours of May 14, 2026, Russia carried out a large-scale attack using drones and missiles on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. According to Ukrainian officials, the overnight assault hit six districts of Kyiv and six surrounding areas. At least three people were killed and 40 wounded, including two children.
Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba said the attacks also targeted ports in the southern Odesa region and the railway system. Rescue crews continued searching for people possibly trapped under the rubble of a nine-story building that was struck in Kyiv.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on social media platform X that Russia had launched "more than 670 attack drones and 56 missiles" against Ukraine. He said: "Since midnight yesterday, Russia has used over 1,560 drones against our cities and communities. This is definitely not the action of people who believe the war is about to end."
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed 40 people were wounded in the attack. Al Jazeera correspondent Audrey Macalpine at the scene described this as one of the largest Russian attacks since the conflict began, considering the number of drones used in just 36 hours.
The strike came as diplomatic efforts to end the war faced setbacks. Earlier, US President Donald Trump proposed a three-day ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, but both sides accused each other of violating it. After the ceasefire expired on Tuesday, Ukraine and Russia launched long-range drone strikes.
The Kremlin rejected any suggestion that President Putin's vague comments about the war "coming to an end" might indicate a softening of Moscow's stance. On Wednesday, Russia again demanded that Ukraine withdraw all its forces from the eastern Donbas region before any ceasefire and comprehensive peace negotiations could take place. Kyiv rejected this as an act of surrender.
