Rescue workers are busy putting out a fire following a Russian drone attack on a gas pipeline in the Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine.Image: keystone
May 13, 2026, 10:26 p.mMay 13, 2026, 10:26 p.m
After a day of massive Russian drone attacks on Ukraine, a wave of missile attacks threatens overnight. In the evening, the Ukrainian Air Force reported the explosion of a Russian Kinshal (Dagger) hypersonic missile near Starokostiantyniv in the west, where an important Ukrainian air force base is located.
Ukrainian Telegram channels warned of the threat of ballistic missile fire. They also reported the takeoff of at least four Russian Tupolev Tu-160 long-range bombers. These should reach the zones for dropping their cruise missiles at daybreak.
Strikes against Ukrainian railways
According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Russian army has deployed more than 800 long-range drones since Wednesday morning. Ukrainian railway facilities were hit in 22 places, Zelensky’s adviser Dmytro Lytwyn said, according to media reports.
At the same time, large swarms of Ukrainian drones flew into Russian territory on Wednesday evening, as the Telegram channel Dronebomber recorded. Russian oil facilities on the Gulf of Finland near St. Petersburg 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 US mediation and Ukraine’s keeping quiet.
On Tuesday, Putin demonstratively let his military report on a successful test of the new Russian nuclear missile RS-28 Sarmat (NATO code SS-X-30 Satan II). 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. (sda/dpa)