- By Supratik Das
- Sun, 18 May 2025 01:24 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
In the deadliest drone strike since the onset of the full-scale war in 2022, Russia sent 273 drones over Ukraine early Sunday, killing a single woman and wounding at least three others in the Kyiv region. The unprecedented aerial attack comes just two days after failed peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul.
According to Ukraine’s air force, Russian forces launched 273 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by 8 a.m. local time (0500 GMT), targeting the Kyiv region, as well as the Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions in eastern Ukraine. This marks the largest drone assault since Moscow’s full-scale invasion began in 2022, surpassing the previous record of 267 drones launched in February. “It’s been a tough night. The Russians have always used war and attacks to intimidate everyone in negotiations,” said Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Centre for Countering Disinformation.
Civilian Casualties And Damage Reported
The attack killed a 28-year-old woman in the Obukhiv district, south of Kyiv. Three others, one of whom was a 4-year-old child, were injured and hospitalized. A number of residential buildings were damaged, local authorities confirmed. “Unfortunately, as a result of the enemy attack in the Obukhiv district, a woman died from her injuries,” said Kyiv regional governor Mykola Kalashnik in a statement on Telegram. The capital city of Kyiv was also attacked, with debris from downed drone injuring the roof of a non-residential building. There were no reported injuries in the capital city.
Ukraine's air force said it had destroyed and intercepted 88 drones in the overnight raid. In addition, 128 so-called "simulator drones" were launched by Russia but did not make it to their targets. Air raid alarms sounded throughout Kyiv and eastern Ukraine for nine straight hours, with locals required to seek shelter until the alarms were cancelled at 9 a.m. local time.
Trump To Dial Putin and Zelenskiy
As tensions grew and civilian deaths mounted, US President Donald Trump stepped forward to say that he will talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday. The declaration came after Friday's 100-minute Istanbul meeting, the first direct Russia-Ukraine talks in three years. Although the talks did not yield a ceasefire deal, both parties agreed on the exchange of 1,000 prisoners of war.
The drone attack on Sunday came a day after another deadly Russian attack in Ukraine's Sumy region, where a drone struck a shuttle bus, killing nine civilians. President Zelenskiy called the attack "deliberate" and demanded tougher international sanctions on Moscow. Russia said it was bombing a military compound in the region, still denying intentionally attacking civilians.