Russia unleashes heaviest wartime drone assault on Ukraine, hits Kyiv

On 14 May 2026, Russia launched its heaviest wartime drone assault on Ukraine and hit Kyiv with drones and ballistic missiles in a multi-wave attack. Rescuers pulled dead from the rubble of a Kyiv apartment block. Authorities put the death toll in Kyiv at 21, up from earlier figures of one, seven and nine.

Russian strikes also hit cities across Ukraine. The attack on Kyiv came after 30 hours of drone attacks and on the third straight day of Russian strikes, and one account said it occurred during a ceasefire. EurActiv wrote that it dented peace hopes.