Southwestern Ukrainian port city on the Black Sea
Since late April 2026, Russia and Ukraine have been exchanging sustained drone and missile attacks that have killed civilians, damaged ports, hospitals and housing, and struck energy infrastructure on both sides. Overnight into 5 May, strikes have hit Ukrainian energy facilities and cities and Ukrainian forces have struck major Russian oil and industrial sites.
The EU has approved a previously stalled €90bn loan for Ukraine after Kyiv has repaired the Druzhba oil pipeline and Hungary and Slovakia have dropped objections once Russian oil flows restarted. The decision has come together with a 20th EU sanctions package on Russia, and funds are expected to start moving in the coming weeks.
Ukraine faces ongoing daytime drone and missile strikes as Russia extends attacks across major cities and infrastructure. Officials report casualties and damage, with air defences under renewed strain and international calls for support.
Ukraine has carried out large-scale long-range drone strikes into multiple Russian regions, including the Moscow area, killing at least four people and injuring dozens. Russia has reported intercepting hundreds to more than 1,000 drones; Ukrainian leaders have said the attacks are justified responses to recent Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities.
Ukrainian forces have carried out long‑range strikes deep inside Russia, targeting drone components and oil infrastructure. Authorities report damage at facilities in Cheboksary and Samara, while Kyiv says other oil facilities and drones are being targeted. Russia reports drone activity and counterstrikes across multiple regions.
The Kremlin has made a show of defiance while Ukrainian strikes disrupt Russian fuel networks. Putin has admitted the strikes are painful, but demands a peace framework anchored in the Istanbul accords and expanded territorial goals. Moscow is doubling down even as fuel shortages bite. Follow developments as Western allies recalibrate support.
Ukraine’s long-range strikes have hit oil refineries and energy facilities across Russia, fueling a fuel shortage in several regions. Attacks have disrupted refining capacity from Omsk to Yaroslavl, triggering rationing and price pressures while Moscow promises restoration efforts.
Ukraine’s mid-range, Starlink-enabled drones have expanded the front’s reach, pressuring Russia’s supply lines and Crimea’s energy hubs. Russia is countering with camouflage, jamming, and new tactics, while Ukraine trains fighters and pursues domestically produced drones to sustain the push.
Independent reports that Ukraine’s drone campaign has disrupted Russia’s fuel infrastructure, intensifying shortages and triggering public discontent. Putin insists on continuing the conflict and expanding energy defenses as Moscow confronts a mounting fuel crisis.
Ukraine has intensified drone strikes against Russian energy infrastructure and tanker ships in the Sea of Azov and Black Sea, aiming to disrupt Moscow’s fuel supply to Crimea. The operation, named Molochka, has hit dozens of vessels and electricity infrastructure, triggering fuel shortages and a broader energy crisis in Russia.
Ukraine has announced a cabinet reshuffle after Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko has resigned, saying Ukraine is changing its political strategy. Zelenskyy says the changes aim to implement an updated foreign policy focus, with new leadership in key ministries and law-enforcement heads.
Europe’s leaders are pursuing a global, integrated missile defense against future threats, while Ukraine seeks faster air-defense and a European-backed, lower-cost system. At Paris talks, Macron and Zelenskyy outline steps toward a coalition of the willing and the Freyja project to supplement, not replace, existing defenses.
Across Paris, Bastille Day preparations unfold as leaders from Europe gather to show unity with Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. The parade will include thousands of troops, with the Coalition of the Willing presenting a show of support. France also confronts a third heatwave, prompting some restrictions on fireworks and public events.
Since mid-July, Russia and Ukraine have traded deeper strikes: ballistic missiles and drones have hit cities around Kyiv and Sloviansk while Ukraine has struck deep into Russian territory, hitting oil depots, logistics hubs and Wildberries warehouses. A Russian strike on a grain ship leaving Odesa has killed foreign crew and prompted India to summon Russia’s envoy.
Ukraine has seen ongoing international backing amid Russia's invasion, with leaders pledging new aid and steps to bolster Kyiv's defenses. Drones and missile strikes continue, hitting targets across Ukraine and Russia, while regional summits and high-level visits underscore a coordinated response to the conflict.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has carried out a surprise cabinet reshuffle that has removed defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, nominated Serhii Koretskyi as prime minister and named SBU head Yevhenii Khmara as acting defence minister. The moves have provoked mass protests in Kyiv and other cities, prompted at least one senior military resignation and raised questions about unity in Kyiv’s war effort.
Ukraine has replaced its commander-in-chief and appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new head of the armed forces amid political upheaval and protests over the removal of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Zelenskyy says unity requires change, while protests demand Fedorov’s return; Drapatyi pledges intensified offensive planning and modernization.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi as Ukraine’s commander-in-chief after mass protests over the dismissal of reform-minded ex-defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Drapatyi, 43, is being welcomed as a moderniser; Fedorov has refused offered alternatives and his supporters are continuing street demonstrations while Russia keeps striking Ukrainian cities.
Ukrainian forces have targeted logistics hubs and oil facilities in Russia, while Russian strikes hit Ukrainian cities including Kyiv and Odesa. Officials report casualties and disruptions as both sides escalate attacks and sanctions intensify.
A renewed round of Russian strikes targets Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, while Kyiv reports drone and missile attacks, drone production sites, and shelling that underline the ongoing tit-for-tat conflict. Ukrainian leaders have warned of further missile activity in the next 48 hours, as both sides mobilize resources and public support amid a volatile security backdrop.
UN rights monitors document a sharp rise in civilian deaths and injuries in the first half of 2026 as Russia and Ukraine widen strikes. FPV drones are reshaping daily life near front lines, while attacks on shipping and oil depots widen the conflict’s reach.
Ukraine has expanded its drone strikes on Russian Wildberries warehouses in Krasnodar and Stavropol regions, citing logistics hubs aiding Moscow’s war effort. The attacks have damaged facilities, wounded workers, and prompted evacuations; Kyiv says the operations aim to disrupt drone components and supplies to the Russian military. Kyiv also reports broader strikes across the Black Sea and Azov Sea regions.
Romania has shot down a drone that entered its airspace near Padina, east of the country. Romanian and Italian jets were scrambled under NATO air-policing; fragments fell in a wheat field with no injuries reported. Investigations point to a Shahed-type drone linked to Russia, as NATO and EU allies caution over ongoing threats along Europe’s eastern flank.
Romania has shot down a drone that entered its airspace. The incident follows prior interceptions and signals heightened NATO and EU concerns over border airspace, with officials noting drone origins and increasing regional intercept capacity.
Ukrainian President Zelenskiy and Israeli Prime Minister meet US leaders in Washington as Ukraine and Russia intensify strikes; discussions focus on anti-ballistic defence and diplomatic support, with tensions over Iran, Russia and Middle East moves shaping the visit.