Many injured in Russian drone attacks on Ukraine

According to the authorities, the large city of Kharkiv in the east, close to the Russian border, alone was attacked by more than 15 combat drones. The number of victims rose rapidly: Shortly after midnight local time (23:00 CEST on Tuesday), Mayor Ihor Terekhov spoke of at least 39 injured. "Explosions can be heard in the city," he wrote on Telegram.

Several districts were affected by the attacks. There was damage to residential buildings, a hospital and civilian infrastructure facilities. Kharkiv, a city of millions before the war, is particularly frequently affected by Russian airstrikes due to its proximity to the border.

Russian drones further developed

Russia has been using advanced Iranian-made Shahed drones since the beginning of 2025, said Spartak Boryssenko, head of the public prosecutor's office in the Kharkiv region. They could carry 88 kilograms of explosives.

According to the Ukrainian air force, Russian drones also attacked the cities of Dnipro and Kryvyi Rih as well as the Kherson region. According to regional governor Serhiy Lysak, at least one person was killed in Dnipro. There were several fires in the city.

Injured in the Russian-occupied city of Horlivka

The Russian occupation administration of the Donetsk region reported 16 injured after an alleged Ukrainian artillery attack on the town of Horlivka. According to the report, the Ukrainian army shelled the important railroad junction with rocket artillery. The information from both sides could not initially be independently confirmed.

3 or 30 days ceasefire?

A possible ceasefire is still being debated. The Ukrainian side is insisting on a comprehensive ceasefire of 30 days as an introduction to a possible more far-reaching solution to end the Russian war of aggression that has been going on for more than three years. This is also the proposal of President Donald Trump's US government. Russia rejects this.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a three-day ceasefire from May 8 to 10, which would include the commemoration of the end of the Second World War 80 years ago in 1945. Ukraine considers this to be a deceptive maneuver. Trump's Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg called the idea absurd. Washington is hoping for the start of a longer ceasefire.

Zelensky calls for more pressure on "Moscow's pain points"

Meanwhile, Ukraine is preparing further sanctions against Russia, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyi. They are aimed at the neighboring country's arms industry and trade as well as "Russian networks of influence". This is being done in coordination with the European countries and the USA, Selensky said in a video address, without giving details. "We are selecting the pain points in Russia that are most likely to persuade Moscow to engage in diplomacy," he said in Kiev.

Once again, the Ukrainian head of state called for Russia to agree to a comprehensive ceasefire - not just the limited ceasefire to commemorate World War II. Zelensky insinuated that Moscow was only interested in protecting the military parade planned for Russia's Victory Day on May 9 from Ukrainian drone attacks. "Now they are worried that their parade is being called into question - and rightly so," said the president.