May 14, 2026, 07:11May 14, 2026, 07:11
Smoke over the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.Image: keystone
A few days after a brief ceasefire, Russia hit Ukraine with one of the longest air strikes in more than four years of war. During the night, air alarms were raised again throughout the country; according to Ukrainian media reports, the military warned of incoming drones and ballistic missiles. A short time later, explosions and several injuries and at least one death were reported in the capital Kiev
According to the news portal “The Kyiv Independent”, several buildings were damaged and, according to paramedics, ten people were rescued from the rubble of a collapsed residential building. According to the report, the capital’s military administration counted 16 injured and one dead in Kiev, and according to the rescue workers there were seven more injured in the surrounding area.
The Russian army had been carrying out drone attacks on Ukraine throughout Wednesday, although such daytime attacks are unusual. President Volodymyr Zelenskyj spoke of more than 800 drones. At least six people were killed and dozens injured. Zelensky described the attacks as “terror”.
Zelenskyj relies on Trump’s influence in China
“It is certainly no coincidence that one of Russia’s longest massive attacks against Ukraine took place just as the President of the United States arrived on a visit to China – a visit from which many expect much,” said Zelensky. He had previously expressed the hope that US President Donald Trump would influence China so that the People’s Republic would end its support for the Russian war of aggression.
Russian attacks during the day hit targets as far west as Ukraine in the Zakarpattia region. Slovakia temporarily closed its border crossings with Ukraine because of the danger, and Hungary, another neighbor in the region, expressed concern. On Wednesday evening, the Ukrainian Air Force reported the explosion of a Russian Kinshal (Dagger) hypersonic missile when it hit Starokostiantyniv in the west, where a Ukrainian air force base is located.
At the same time, swarms of Ukrainian drones flew into Russian territory in the evening, as the Telegram channel “Dronebomber” reported. Russian oil facilities on the Gulf of Finland once again appeared to be a target of attack.
Serious attacks after three days of ceasefire
The fierce Russian attacks follow three days of ceasefire from Saturday to Monday. During this time, Russian President Vladimir Putin was able to hold a parade to commemorate the World War undisturbed, but he was dependent on the USA having brokered the ceasefire and the Ukrainians actually keeping quiet afterwards.
On Tuesday, Putin demonstratively let his military report on a successful test of the new Russian RS-28 Sarmat nuclear missile. It should go into permanent use at the end of the year, he said. However, the alleged operational readiness of this type of rocket has already been claimed in previous years.
With the massive attacks, Moscow wants to increase pressure on Ukraine to agree to Russian conditions for peace negotiations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov repeated the call for Zelensky to withdraw his troops from the Donetsk region. Only then could there be a ceasefire. Ukraine categorically refuses to donate the territories it controls to Russia.
Putin sends new governors to border regions
Meanwhile, Putin exchanged the governors of the border regions of Belgorod and Bryansk, which were particularly affected by the war. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov resigned from the post in Belgorod “at his own request,” according to Putin’s decree, which the Kremlin published in Moscow. General Alexander Shuvayev was appointed acting successor. In the Bryansk region, Yegor Kovalchuk follows Alexander Bogomas.
Belgorod is the first region in Russia to be hit by Moscow’s war of aggression with destruction similar to that in Ukraine. It serves the Russian army as a staging area for attacks on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv and as a logistical hub. That is why Ukraine repeatedly shells military targets and infrastructure in Belgorod. (sda/dpa)