Russian Drone Strikes Kyiv Residential Building

Russian forces resumed attacks on Kyiv overnight on May 12, launching dozens of drones toward the Ukrainian capital shortly after a three-day ceasefire expired. Local officials reported that drone debris fell on the roof of a 16-storey residential building in the Obolon district, sparking a fire visible in photos posted on social media.

m. local time. The strikes came hours after the U.S.-brokered temporary ceasefire, which had been in effect from May 9 to 11, ended at midnight. Damage from the drones was also reported in Kyiv Oblast, including the city of Fastiv where a kindergarten and several homes were hit.

The full extent of the damage was not immediately clear and no casualties were reported from the Kyiv-area attacks.

At least one person was killed in eastern Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region after strikes in the area of Synelnykove, regional officials said. A woman was wounded in that incident and three others were injured elsewhere in the region. Ukrainian officials added that energy facilities, apartment buildings and a civilian locomotive on the railway sustained damage across multiple areas including Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Chernihiv.

In response to the Russian actions, officials stated that Ukraine would respond in kind while stressing that sanctions against Moscow must remain in place and be strengthened. They added that partners should continue working together for security and a reliable peace.

Russian authorities for their part reported intercepting 27 Ukrainian drones over three regions in the early hours after the ceasefire ended.

Background to the Truce U.S.

President Donald Trump had announced the ceasefire on May 9, hours before Russia's World War II victory celebrations, describing it as a potential beginning of the end to the conflict. During the three days, there were no large-scale airstrikes although Ukrainian forces reported some Russian drone launches and the firing of one Iskander-M ballistic missile from occupied Crimea.

Even before the truce expired, both sides had traded accusations of civilian attacks that violated its terms. Ukrainian officials had warned of dozens of approaching drones in the hours before the latest strikes. The attack follows a several-month pause in peace negotiations that had been largely sidelined by the conflict in Iran.

Officials indicated that the United States is once again attempting to broker a temporary ceasefire deal between the two sides in exchange for sanctions relief for Moscow.

“Russia chose to end the partial silence that had lasted for several days.”

Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure have continued regularly since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. The latest incident marks the return to open hostilities after a brief period of relative calm that had been intended to facilitate broader talks.