Ukraine-Russia war latest: Moscow says it destroyed more than 3,000 Kyiv drones as it faces biggest attack of the year

Russia faced one of its biggest attacks of the year as at least 3,124 Ukrainian drones were intercepted and destroyed in the past week, the country’s defence minister said this morning.

The biggest onslaught on Russia was on 13 May and 17 May, with 572 and 1,054 drones downed respectively, it said, confirming the siege on the country.

At least four people were killed, and a dozen were injured, after a Ukrainian drone attack in Russia overnight, local officials said yesterday.

Three people were killed in a strike on the Moscow region, and a fourth was killed in the Belgorod region bordering northeastern Ukraine, local authorities said.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensk confirmed the attacks on social media site X, said, "Our ⁠responses to Russia’s prolongation of the war and its attacks on our cities ​and communities ⁠are entirely justified," Zelenskiy said.

Later on Sunday, Zelensky said that Ukraine's "long-range sanctions have reached the Moscow region", referring to the latest drone attack.

"We are clearly telling the Russians: their state must end its war," he wrote in a post on Telegram.Ukraine says it blew up Russian plane worth £30m in airbase attack

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said the country’s forces destroyed a rare amphibious aircraft worth £30m in a drone attack deep inside Russia.

Zelensky confirmed shared black-and-white footage purporting to show a first-person-view drone heading towards the Beriev Be-200 plane parked at a military airfield.

The Ukrainian drones also targeted and destoryed a cargo vessel carrying ammunition, several air-defence systems, a training centre and oil facilities, he said.

“The aircraft is powered by two D-436TP turbofan engines, can reportedly reach speeds of up to 720km per h, and has a range of approximately 3,850km. Depending on configuration, it can transport up to 72 passengers or carry roughly 12 tons of water for firefighting missions,” news outlet Ukraine24 reported.

A second drone purportedly showed the view of the attack on the aircraft.

The strike, Zelensky said, was part of a series of “long-range sanctions” carried out on military targets in response to a string of deadly Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine in the past week.

Arpan Rai18 May 2026 05:5410-year-old boy injured in Russian missile attack overnight

Russia hit the southeastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro with missiles in a separate attack, injuring nine people, including a 10-year old boy, regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha said on Telegram.

Russian forces have continued their attacks on Ukraine with drones and missiles overnight, targeting the cities of Odesa in the south and ⁠Dnipro in the southeast, officials said.

Arpan Rai18 May 2026 05:44Drone debris falls on international airport in Moscow

Russia’s largest airport, Moscow's Sheremetyevo, said drone debris had fallen on its territory but caused no damage after a major Ukrainian drone attack on Sunday.

The airport came under attack on a day Ukraine escalated its aerial offensive on Russia.

"Drone debris was detected on the premises of Sheremetyevo Airport. The debris is at a safe distance from passenger and aircraft servicing areas," the airport officials said in a statement, TASS reported.

"There are no casualties or damage in the airport area, and the situation in the passenger terminals remains calm," it added.

The Federal Air Transport Agency had announced flight restrictions on the airports arrival and departure terminals but said it was later lifted.

Passengers queue for a check-in at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Khimki outside Moscow (AP)

Arpan Rai18 May 2026 05:32Indian worker among four killed in attacks on Russia

At least four people were killed in Russian strikes on Russia over the weekend, including an Indian worker.

"One Indian worker has lost his life and three others have been injured in a drone attack in the Moscow region earlier today," the Indian embassy in Russia said in a statement.

The three other injured were also Indian nationals, it said.

“Embassy officials have visited the location and met the injured workers in the hospital,” it said in a post on X.

Arpan Rai18 May 2026 05:17Russia attacks Ukraine's Odesa and Dnipro with drones and missiles overnight

Russia ​attacked Ukraine overnight with drones and missiles, targeting the southern ⁠city of Odesa and Dnipro in the country's southeast, Ukrainian officials said this morning.

In Odesa, a major Black Sea export port, drones hit residential buildings along with a school and a kindergarten, injuring a 11-year old boy and a 59-year old man, Serhiy Lysak, the head of the local military administration, said on Telegram.

Separately, three people were injured after Russia hit the southeastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro with ‌missiles, regional governor Oleksandr ​Hanzha said on ‌Telegram.

Arpan Rai18 May 2026 04:39Briefing: What we know on the 1,544th day of the war in UkraineRussia says its air forces intercepted and destroyed at least 3,124 Ukrainian drones over the past week, as the country under one of its biggest attacks in the course of war with UkraineAt least 1,054 drones were destroyed, respectively, mostly over European ⁠Russia, its defence ministry saidIn Kyiv, Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine’s military response to Russia’s heaviest bombardment of his country was “entirely justified” and accused Moscow of prolonging the warAt least four people were killed, including three in the Moscow region, after Ukraine launched its biggest ‌overnight drone attack on ​the Russian ‌capital in ⁠more than a ⁠year, local officials said ‌on ​Sunday

Arpan Rai18 May 2026 04:32Russia says it destroyed over 3,000 Ukrainian drones last week

Russia has intercepted and destroyed at least 3,124 Ukrainian drones over the past week, the RIA state news agency said, citing data from the defence ministry.

RIA, after compiling ⁠the data, said the ​most ⁠drones were downed ‌on 13 May and 17 May ‌with 572 and ‌1,054 units destroyed, respectively, mostly over European ⁠Russia.

At least four people were killed, including three in the Moscow region, after Ukraine launched its biggest ‌overnight drone attack on ​the Russian ‌capital in ⁠more than a ⁠year, local officials said ‌on ​Sunday.

Arpan Rai18 May 2026 04:06In pictures: Ukraine and Russia prisoner of war swap

Rebecca Thomas18 May 2026 04:00US Treasury allows sanctions waiver on Russian seaborne oil to lapse

The Trump administration on Saturday allowed a sanctions waiver to lapse that had previously allowed countries, including India, to buy Russian seaborne oil after a month-long extension aimed at easing oil supply shortages and high prices due to Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had previously said he would not renew the general license allowing the purchase of Russian oil stored on tankers. As of early afternoon Washington time ⁠on Saturday, no renewal notice had ​been ⁠posted on the Treasury website. A Treasury spokesperson declined further comment.

Two top Democratic U.S. senators, Jeanne Shaheen and Elizabeth ⁠Warren, on Friday urged the Trump administration against renewing the waiver, ​arguing ⁠that it was providing revenue to ‌Russia to aid its war in Ukraine, but there was no evidence it was bringing down fuel costs for American consumers.

The prior extension was part of the ‌Trump administration's effort to control global energy prices that have shot higher during the Iran war.

Rebecca Thomas18 May 2026 02:30

The Ukrainian flag has been removed from outside Essex County Council's offices by the newly elected Reform UK administration, according to reports by the BBC.

A second Union flag was instead put up in its place outside County Hall in Chelmsford on Friday.

Council leader Peter Harris said in a statement to the BBC that it was a "proud moment".

Harris said: "The replacement of the Ukraine flag does not diminish the support and generosity that Essex residents have shown the people of Ukraine since 2022, and I know this will continue."

A spokesman said there would be discussions with the county's Ukrainian community before finding the flag a new home.

Rebecca Thomas18 May 2026 01:30