Tensions escalate as Russia, Ukraine exchange massive drone strikes: What we know so far

4 min readMay 18, 2026 02:12 PM IST

At least four people, including an Indian, were killed after Ukraine unleashed “one of the largest” ever drone strikes targeting Moscow on Sunday (May 17). Russia also attacked parts of Ukraine with drones and missiles overnight, injuring a total of 11, including two boys.

Here’s all you need to know

•  Russian strikes targeted the cities of Odesa in the south and Dnipro in the southeast overnight, injuring 11.
• In the major Black Sea export port of Odesa, the drones hit residential buildings, a school and ​a ​kindergarten. An 11-year-old ‌boy and a 59-year-old man were injured in the attack, he added.
• In the southeastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro, missile attacks injured nine people, including a 10-year ⁠old boy.
• Russian drones also struck infrastructure facilities of Naftogaz, Ukraine’s ⁠energy ​firm, in the ​Dnipropetrovsk ​region, ⁠the company said.
• Ukraine launched a massive overnight drone strike that damaged residential buildings in Russia’s Krasnogorsk, said the Russian authorities, and hundreds of drones were intercepted.
• At least four people were killed, including three in the Moscow region. A fourth person was killed in the Belgorod region bordering northeastern Ukraine.
• Among the three dead in the Moscow region, one was an Indian citizen. Soon after the attack, the Indian embassy in Russia said, “Today (May 17) in the Moscow region, as a result of a drone attack, one citizen of India was killed, and three others were injured. Embassy staff travelled to the scene of the incident and visited the victims in the hospital.” Expressing condolences to the family of the deceased, the Embassy said it is doing everything possible to provide the necessary assistance to the victims, “closely cooperating with the company’s management and local authorities”.
• The Russian Embassy in India released a statement saying that it “mourns together with the family of the Indian worker and extends its sympathy to those injured by the Ukrainian attack on civilian facilities in the Moscow region”.
• Ukrainian drones were downed ⁠overnight ‌in the southern Russian region of Rostov, ​including the port city ‌of Taganrog on the Sea of Azov.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, confirming the strikes, said that Kyiv’s long-range drone and missile capabilities successfully struck targets in the Moscow region despite dense Russian air defence systems. He also said that his country’s “responses to Russia’s prolongation of the war and strikes on our cities and communities are entirely justified.” “Our responses to Russia’s prolongation of the war and strikes on our cities and communities are entirely justified. This time, Ukrainian long-range sanctions have reached the Moscow region, and we are clearly telling Russians: their state must end its war. Ukrainian drone and missile manufacturers continue their work. Grateful to the SBU and all the Ukrainian Defense Forces for their precision. Distance from Ukraine’s state border – over 500 km. The concentration of Russian air defence in the Moscow region is the highest. But we overcome it. Glory to Ukraine,” he said.
• Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said drones targeted areas near the city’s oil refinery and injured at least 12 people. He said the “technology” of the refinery hadn’t been damaged.
• Sheremetyevo airport (Russia’s largest airport) said drone debris fell on its premises, but flights continued without disruption.
• Russia’s defence ministry said Sunday that air defence systems destroyed 556 drones overnight across the country.

— with inputs from Reuters