Real-world incidents Fulcrum is tracking. Each event collects structured claims, supporting evidence, and the audit trail behind every status change.
118 of 118 events
An explosive-laden drone was discovered near a Ukrainian cargo plane carrying ammunition at Leipzig/Halle airport in early August 2026. Subsequent reports cover the investigation, attribution and diplomatic response to that same incident. The original discovery and later developments are retained in one timeline; responsibility assessments remain attributed to the authorities and sources making them.
Reports of drone approaches and airspace restrictions around Moscow on 1–3 September coincide with Ukrainian warnings that Russian airspace was becoming unsafe. The cluster concerns aviation disruption around Moscow, including the reported restrictions at Vnukovo and Domodedovo. It does not establish that Russia's entire airspace was closed.
Zelensky and Carney met in Calgary on 10 September and announced a long-term Canada–Ukraine partnership alongside additional air-defense support. The agreements concern Ukraine's defense and winter resilience. The event is located at the city where the commitments were announced; delivery and implementation are separate developments still to be tracked.
US envoys visited Moscow and Kyiv during a renewed effort to negotiate an end to the war. The Kyiv visit ended without a reported breakthrough. This event covers that completed round of meetings, rather than the wider, continuing peace process.
Reporting describes a confrontation between personnel linked to Ukraine's SBU and military intelligence in Kyiv on 2 September, followed by accusations and denials concerning alleged FSB connections. Zelensky condemned the shootout. Rybar's account of the detention and casualties is retained as attributed reporting alongside the other sources. The map identifies Kyiv; an exact incident address has not been established here.
Rybar reports Russian claims of control over Kozacha Lopan in northern Kharkiv Oblast, followed by reported gains in positions east of the settlement. The reports describe the same border-sector operation over early September. The location is the Kozacha Lopan area; the claims do not establish an independently verified boundary of control.
Two Rybar reports describe Russian advances on the Orikhiv sector of the Zaporizhzhia front between 1 and 10 September. The first concerns flag-raising in Krasnaya Krynitsa northeast of Orikhiv; the second claims near-total Russian control of Mala Tokmachka. These are attributed battlefield claims from one source, not an independently verified change to the front line.
Reports from 1–10 September describe Russian strikes on ports, shipping and logistics facilities in Odesa and Mykolaiv, alongside disruption to Black Sea grain trade. Rybar names an Odesa postal terminal, port facilities, border checkpoints and a Mykolaiv shopping centre. Its assertions about military use of civilian infrastructure remain attributed allegations. The map covers the two-city coastal corridor and nearby border logistics routes.
A Russian strike hit a shopping centre in Pavlohrad, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, on 10 September. Ukrainian authorities reported five deaths and at least 67 injuries. BBC and Kyiv Independent reports are preserved together as evidence on the principal claim, with Rybar's same-day strike chronology providing additional attributed context. The map is centered on Pavlohrad rather than an unverified building footprint.
Repeated Russian attacks on Kyiv and its surrounding warehouse and industrial belt are being reported alongside civilian casualties and disruption to everyday life. The linked reporting covers residential buildings, fuel stations, the Coca-Cola plant and warehouses, including Hostomel. Reports about civilian hardship and air-defense procurement provide context for the same sustained campaign. Individual casualty figures belong to their respective attacks and should not be added together without checking overlap.
On 19 August 2026, Russia launched a large-scale missile attack on Kyiv and the surrounding region. Ukrainian air defences were reported to be under strain, and the strike resulted in at least 13 deaths, with earlier reports citing at least six killed. The attack was described as a 'massive' strike, with video footage circulating of the impact.
Ukrainian General Staff reporting in July–August 2026 indicated that Russia had lost over 1.45 million troops in Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began on 24 February 2022. Over 42,000 Russian losses were recorded in July 2026 alone, described as a 2026 high. Zelensky claimed Russian KIA figures were 14 times higher than Ukraine's.
Between 12 and 15 August 2026, multiple incidents were reported in Russian-occupied Crimea, including an explosion that killed a man in Sevastopol, the alleged death of a Ukrainian submarine commander who had defected, and a reported Ukrainian strike on an Onyx and Zircon missile launcher.
In mid-August 2026, multiple Ukrainian officials and former ministers stated that Ukraine could begin deploying domestically produced ballistic missiles against targets inside Russia by the end of 2026, with some estimates as early as autumn.
Between 14 and 16 August 2026, Russia conducted multiple strikes on Odesa Oblast, hitting a port terminal recently acquired by a Swiss investor, postal facilities, and a shopping centre. The attacks killed at least one person and injured dozens.
On 15–16 August 2026, Ukraine launched what Russia described as its largest-ever drone attack, with Moscow claiming 822 drones were shot down. The Wildberries warehouse near Moscow was set ablaze, and at least six people were killed in Russia according to Russian officials.
On the night of 15–16 August 2026, Russia launched a major aerial barrage targeting Kyiv, with numerous explosions reported in the city. A market was set on fire and casualties were recorded across Ukraine. A NATO ally also intercepted a drone over Romania during the same wave.
Between approximately 9 and 14 August 2026, Russia intensified ballistic missile and rocket attacks targeting the Dnipropetrovsk region and other parts of Ukraine, destroying a WHO warehouse in Dnipro among other targets. Ukraine reportedly struck back against a Russian military airbase it identified as responsible for the ballistic attacks.
Around mid-August 2026, Ukraine's military intelligence agency HUR claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on Wildberries, a major Russian e-commerce retailer. The attack generated significant public debate over whether Wildberries constitutes a legitimate military target.
In mid-August 2026, Ukraine launched drone attacks targeting Russian port and energy facilities, including processing plants at Ust-Luga in Leningrad Oblast and the key Black Sea export terminal at Novorossiysk. The strikes prompted diplomatic activity over food security and renewed Ukrainian sanctions on Russian grain-shipping vessels.
Around 12–13 August 2026, Ukrainian forces struck Russian energy infrastructure deep inside Russian territory, including a Gazprom oil refinery approximately 1,300 km from Ukraine. One refinery was reported to have been completely shut down for months following a Ukrainian attack. Separately, Russia began importing gasoline from India for the first time, linked to the cumulative impact of Ukrainian strikes on domestic refining capacity.
Around 12–13 August 2026, Ukraine's Air Force stopped publicly publishing figures on Russian ballistic missile interceptions, drawing domestic and international attention. Simultaneously, President Zelensky publicly renewed his appeal for US Patriot air-defence systems, arguing that a fraction of US inventory could neutralise Russia's entire ballistic missile arsenal.
On 11–12 August 2026, Ukraine carried out drone and missile strikes on the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, reportedly damaging four Russian warships, hitting a major grain export terminal, and sparking fires at the port. Occupied Crimea also experienced explosions during the same reported attack wave.
Around 12 August 2026, Ukraine's military intelligence disclosed the size of Russia's Geran attack drone stockpile, while analysts highlighted the added pressure placed on Ukrainian air defenses by the cheaper Banderol cruise missile. Romanian forces also destroyed two Gerbera drones recovered from the Black Sea.
On 11–12 August 2026, Russian President Putin publicly warned that Moscow would respond in kind to European seizures of Russian merchant ships, prompting the UK to defend its own seizure of a shadow fleet tanker. The statements followed a broader dispute over European nations detaining Russian-linked vessels.
On August 10, 2026, Russia launched ballistic missile strikes hitting multiple Ukrainian cities including Zaporizhzhia and Kyiv, killing at least six people in Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainian President Zelensky claimed the overnight strikes used North Korean-supplied ballistic missiles, and separately announced that North Korea was sending an additional 50,000 troops and more missiles to Russia.
Around August 10, 2026, Ukraine conducted drone and other strikes against Russian oil refinery and petrochemical facilities located thousands of kilometres from the Ukrainian border, killing at least 13 people. Ukrainian officials framed the campaign as part of a deliberate 40-day strategy targeting Russian logistics and energy infrastructure. A fire was also reported at a facility over 6,000 kilometres from Ukraine.
Around August 9, 2026, Ukrainian forces conducted drone strikes targeting oil refining facilities in Russia's Tatarstan region. At least 13 people were reported killed in the attacks. The strikes were part of a broader Ukrainian drone campaign against Russian energy and military infrastructure.
The deadly August 5 attack prompted Ukrainian warnings about interceptor shortages and a series of proposals and pledges concerning additional air-defence capacity and domestic missile production.
A Russian strike killed eight civilians waiting for a delayed train at the railway station in Kvitneve, in Kyiv Oblast's Brovary district, overnight on August 5, 2026.
A Russian ballistic-missile and drone attack struck Kyiv and surrounding areas overnight on August 4–5, 2026, killing at least 17 people and injuring dozens, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Russian attacks across Ukraine over August 8–9, 2026, killed 13 people and injured at least 90, according to local authorities. Odesa and Kharkiv were among the regions reporting casualties and damage.
Russian guided aerial bombs struck the city of Sumy overnight on August 9–10, 2026, injuring 13 people, according to local authorities.
Russian missiles struck Odesa overnight on August 9, 2026, damaging or partially destroying residential buildings and injuring at least 14 people, according to Ukrainian officials.
A Russian drone struck the locomotive of a passenger train traveling through Sumy Oblast toward Kyiv on August 8, 2026. Ukrainian Railways said passengers and crew evacuated in time and no casualties were reported.
A Russian drone struck Lozova railway station in Kharkiv Oblast on August 6, 2026, killing two people and injuring eight, according to regional authorities and Ukrainian Railways.
Ukraine reportedly struck oil refineries in Samara Oblast and Krasnodar Krai in Russia on or around 6–7 August 2026, as part of ongoing long-range strike operations targeting Russian energy infrastructure.
From mid-July 2026, Ukrainian UAVs conducted a series of strikes on Wildberries warehouse and logistics facilities across European Russia, with some attacks reaching targets as far as the Urals. Some facilities experienced temporary operational suspensions while others were fully incapacitated.
One of Ukraine's largest football stadiums in Odesa was damaged in a Russian strike on 7 August 2026. The strike was part of broader Russian attacks on critical infrastructure across Ukraine.
A Turkish cargo ship caught fire after being struck by a drone in the Black Sea around 4–5 August 2026. Ukraine also claimed strikes on multiple Russian shadow fleet vessels in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov around the same period.
Russian missile strikes near Kyiv on 7 August 2026 killed at least four people, including a three-year-old child, and injured several others. Rybar reported that Russian forces also struck a missile component plant and a fuel depot in Kyiv overnight.
The US Senate passed a long-delayed sanctions bill targeting Russia, including measures that could affect energy buyers such as India and China, around 7 August 2026. The bill had been championed by Senator Lindsey Graham.
South Korean and other intelligence assessments reported around 5 August 2026 that North Korea was deploying a ballistic missile unit to Russia to support attacks on Ukraine, representing a significant escalation in military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.
Around May–June 2026, data from DeepState and other monitoring sources indicated that Russia's monthly territorial gains in Ukraine had slipped into negative figures for the first time since 2023, suggesting Ukrainian counteroffensive actions were reclaiming ground. Ukraine also reported fresh offensive pushes on the southern front.
Around 1–2 August 2026, Ukrainian forces struck one of Russia's largest oil refineries on two consecutive nights. A separate drone strike on a refinery in Volgograd was also reported around 28 May 2026. These attacks were part of a broader Ukrainian escalation of strikes against Russian energy and logistics infrastructure.
Over approximately 1–3 August 2026, Russian attacks killed at least eight people and injured 66 across Ukraine, with Zaporizhzhia Oblast suffering the most severe impact. A gas station attack in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast killed three people including a rescue worker and his eight-year-old son. A separate attack on transport infrastructure in Odesa Oblast wounded 13.
In late July 2026, Russian Armed Forces reportedly captured the settlement of Nova Sech in Sumy Oblast as part of ongoing advances in the Burluk direction. The settlement had previously hosted Ukrainian artillery and UAV positions covering a logistics hub at Yunakivka.
In late July and early August 2026, Romania scrambled F-16 fighters and shot down at least one suspected Russian drone that crossed from Ukraine's Danube River border area into Romanian airspace. Romania reported shooting down a third drone in three days by late July, reflecting escalating tensions over Russian airspace violations.
Around August 3, 2026, Ukrainian Magura sea drones reportedly struck Russian radar systems in occupied Crimea. The attack was part of Ukraine's ongoing maritime drone campaign in the Black Sea region.
Over several days spanning late July and early August 2026, Ukrainian forces conducted a series of drone strikes targeting Wildberries retail warehouses in multiple Russian regions including Vladimir Oblast, Tula Oblast, and locations near Moscow and St. Petersburg. The campaign drew public comment from the Wildberries CEO.
On August 3, 2026, a Ukrainian drone struck a crowded Russian beach, killing at least 7 people and injuring approximately 40. Russia attributed the strike to Ukraine, while the incident occurred amid an escalating exchange of long-range strikes between the two sides.
Between approximately July 29 and August 2, 2026, Russia conducted a series of missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure, including port facilities in Odessa, a warehouse in Kyiv Oblast, a residential building in Zaporizhzhia, and a publisher's warehouse. Simultaneously, Ukraine carried out drone strikes on Russian targets including oil refineries, airfields, and warehouses, and claimed to have sunk a sanctioned Russian vessel in the Black Sea.
Russia launched a series of large-scale overnight aerial attacks on Ukraine around June 1–2, 2026, killing at least 22 people and injuring over 130 across the country. Explosions were reported in Kyiv and other cities, with intelligence warnings preceding at least one wave of strikes.
In late July 2026, Russian Armed Forces reported advances north and northwest of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast, pushing toward Alekseyevo-Druzhkivka. Fighting included building clearances in the Novoselivka district, with UAV operators actively supporting assault units.
Russia launched multiple missile attacks on Kyiv around July 30–31, 2026, killing at least nine people according to Ukrainian officials. The strikes included ballistic missiles and were described as the second major attack in 48 hours. A US firm's drone factory in Kyiv was also reportedly destroyed in a related strike.
Around 29 July 2026, a Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet crashed during a combat mission while reportedly pursuing Russian air targets. The pilot ejected safely.
Between late July 2026, Ukraine conducted a series of drone and missile strikes on Wildberries logistics warehouses and other Russian economic infrastructure including oil refineries. The strikes disrupted the company's operations and prompted it to hide military goods from search results.
On or around 30 July 2026, a Russian missile strike killed at least 6 members of the same family in a Ukrainian village. Separately, a missile — likely Russian — crashed inside Polish territory, triggering NATO and Warsaw responses. Zelensky alleged the weapon used against the family was a North Korean missile.
Russia launched a series of large-scale ballistic missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities around July 29, 2026, including a strike on a Kyiv arms exhibition that killed at least 12 people. Multiple cities were hit, with reported total casualties of at least 14 killed and dozens injured. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy had warned of an imminent 'massive' Russian attack before the strikes.
Ukraine conducted multiple drone and missile strikes against energy facilities and military infrastructure in Russian-occupied Crimea over several days in late July 2026, causing widespread power outages. Targets included the Chornomornaftogaz facility and Russian drone relay systems.
Ukraine struck an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea in late July 2026, reportedly used for military cargo transport. Iran condemned the strike, summoned the Ukrainian diplomat in Tehran, and threatened retaliation, creating a significant diplomatic incident that linked the Ukraine and Iran conflicts.
Russian forces conducted a daytime jet-powered drone strike on a supermarket in Chernihiv, Ukraine on July 26, 2026, killing at least 2 people including a child and injuring 25. Ukrainian military intelligence subsequently identified the Russian unit responsible for the attack.
On or around 23 July 2026, a military factory in Kirov, Russia, was set ablaze following a reported Flamingo and drone attacks. Local Russian authorities reported casualties from the incident.
Around 24 July 2026, Ukraine conducted drone strikes on warehouses and energy infrastructure in Belgorod and separately reported a fire at Engels air base, home to Russia's strategic bomber fleet. The strikes are part of Ukraine's ongoing deep-strike campaign inside Russian territory.
On 24 July 2026, Russian forces struck a drone and arms exhibition near Kyiv with a ballistic missile, killing at least 10 people and injuring approximately 100. The attack occurred during daylight hours and followed earlier explosions in Kyiv the previous day. Zelensky warned of further mass missile attacks in the aftermath.
In late May 2026, Ukrainian President Zelensky sent Trump an urgent letter warning of critical missile defense shortages while also warning publicly that Russia was preparing a new large-scale attack. Concurrent claims addressed Russian Oreshnik missile capabilities.
In late July 2026, diplomatic activity around the Ukraine war intensified: top US and Russian diplomats met in Manila, the EU agreed a 21st sanctions package against Russia, and Kazakhstan's president urged a freeze in the conflict.
On 23 July 2026, a Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia city injured at least 25 people, including six children. The attack added to broader concerns about strikes near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
Around 25–26 July 2026, Ukrainian President Zelensky issued multiple warnings: that Russia was preparing to send additional North Korean troops, that Putin was preparing a new mobilization wave, and that Ukraine had developed new priority targets for deep strikes inside Russia.
On 25 July 2026, Russia conducted widespread drone and missile attacks across Ukraine, killing at least 11 people and injuring 70 or more. Targets included civilian infrastructure such as a holiday camp and a hypermarket in Kryvyi Rih.
Around July 2026, German prosecutors formally accused Kyiv of ordering the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage, and a Ukrainian individual was charged in Germany in connection with the blasts. The proceedings represent a significant escalation in the legal investigation into the incident.
Around 18 June 2026, Russian forces conducted strikes including a reported drone strike near Moscow by Ukraine, while G7 leaders pledged to boost Ukraine's air defences and tighten sanctions. Separately, a Russian warship fired warning shots at a UK vessel in the English Channel.
Around 20 July 2026, up to 145 Russian troops were reported to remain inside Kostiantynivka as Ukrainian forces maintained defensive positions. A separate incident saw two Ukrainian soldiers captured after a flag-raising operation in the city.
In mid-July 2026, an assassination attempt was carried out against a Ukrainian businessman in Monaco. The target publicly attributed the attack to the Ukrainian spy agency (SBU), while new footage of the incident emerged.
From at least 22 July 2026, Russia escalated attacks on Black Sea port infrastructure, severely disrupting Ukraine's grain export capacity. Ukraine called an emergency UN session, and the grain industry was reported to be nearing a crisis point.
On 24 July 2026, Russian forces struck Sloviansk in eastern Ukraine with glide bombs, killing five people and injuring nine others. The attack is part of ongoing Russian bombardment of the Donetsk region.
Ukraine conducted repeated drone strikes against Wildberries logistics warehouses in St Petersburg over approximately one week culminating around 22–24 July 2026, sparking major fires and placing Russia's large e-commerce logistics network under significant strain. This was reportedly the fifth such strike in a week.
In late July 2026, the UN reported a steep rise in civilian casualties in the Russia-Ukraine war. Ukraine also published an emergency guide for residents of occupied Crimea around the same time.
In mid-to-late July 2026, multiple reports highlighted Ukraine's growing difficulty in recruiting and retaining soldiers, with some military recruiters facing violence from the public. Concerns about soldier morale and motivation were also widely reported.
On July 21, 2026, Ukraine conducted multiple strikes on Russian territory and Russian-held areas, including reported fires in southern Russia, blackouts in occupied Crimea, hits on Wildberries warehouses, and a strike on a Russian fighter jet and air defenses in Kursk Oblast. Separately, a Russian daytime strike killed three in Zaporizhzhia.
On July 21, 2026, Ukrainian President Zelensky dismissed Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and replaced him with Mykhailo Drapatyi, reportedly following days of domestic protests. The leadership change coincided with a broader political standoff involving figures such as Fedorov.
In early July 2026, Ukraine conducted a series of strikes on Russian energy and logistics targets, including a reported energy equipment plant in Belgorod, power stations across occupied Ukraine, and shadow fleet tankers in the Azov Sea. Ukrainian drone activity also extended to Crimea and Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
Ukraine experienced a domestic political crisis in mid-to-late July 2026, with protests erupting after Zelenskyy's dismissal of the defence minister and reports of an imminent sacking of army chief Syrskyi. Protesters gave Zelenskyy a deadline by Friday to resolve the situation, amid growing pressure over military leadership decisions.
Russia launched a major ballistic missile attack on Ukrainian cities around July 18–19, 2026, including a five-hour bombardment of Kyiv described as one of the largest ballistic missile attacks of the war. Russian attacks over the period killed 14 and injured over 160 across Ukraine.
Russian forces struck civilian and merchant shipping in the Black Sea around July 19, 2026, killing at least 10 people aboard a civilian grain ship. Reports indicate a pattern of intensifying Russian attacks on merchant vessels in the region.
A Russian airstrike struck downtown Sumy on July 3, 2026, killing at least four people including a child and injuring at least 20. This followed a pattern of Russian strikes across Ukraine in the days prior and coincided with Putin publicly stating mass missile attacks 'must continue.'
Russian forces conducted a large-scale combined missile and drone strike on Kyiv on the night of July 1–2, 2026, killing at least 30 people and injuring over 90. The attack involved cruise missiles, a hypersonic Zircon missile, and UAVs, targeting military-industrial, energy, and logistics infrastructure. Portions of Kyiv lost power as a result of damage to energy facilities.
Ukrainian forces conducted drone strikes targeting Crimea's energy infrastructure and Russian shadow fleet vessels on July 19–20, 2026. Ukraine's military reported hitting seven shadow fleet vessels and energy facilities in occupied Crimea, with Zelensky also confirming strikes on Russian oil depots and logistics in Moscow Oblast and six Black Sea vessels.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy traveled to Turkey for the NATO summit around July 6–7, 2026, where he met with US President Trump. Reports indicated Trump and Zelenskyy were to discuss strategy to pressure Russia into peace talks, with Trump repositioning himself as a peacemaker following a call with Putin.
Russia deployed new Pantsir air defence systems on Moscow rooftops in late May 2026, reportedly in response to the growing threat of Ukrainian drone strikes. Multiple sources reported the deployment and broader bolstering of Moscow's air defences.
Ukraine conducted long-range drone strikes against Russian oil refinery infrastructure in the July 5–6, 2026 period, including reported strikes on a refinery in Yaroslavl and Russia's largest oil refinery in Omsk, approximately 2,500 km from the Ukrainian border.
Ukraine conducted missile and drone strikes on the Russian city of Belgorod across the July 2–6, 2026 period, causing fires, power outages, and disruption to water supply. A Ukrainian missile strike on a Russian airport in the Belgorod area was also reported, with a blackout extending across Belgorod Oblast.
Russia claimed to have captured the strategic Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka around July 3–5, 2026. Ukraine denied the claim, and Russia subsequently proposed a temporary local ceasefire and handover of bodies, calling for talks in Moscow. Ukraine rejected the ceasefire proposal, and Russia accused Ukraine of the rejection.
Ukrainian drones struck a major oil terminal near St Petersburg, Russia, around July 4, 2026, also reportedly hitting a nearby port. Multiple sources reported the strike, and fires were described at the terminal.
Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) conducted strikes on Russia's Saky air base in occupied Crimea on or around July 3, 2026, marking the second such strike within a week. Separate Ukrainian drone and strike operations also targeted ferry terminals and airfields elsewhere in Crimea, and footage was released showing a Russian fighter jet destroyed by a drone on the peninsula.
Russia conducted a series of large-scale missile and drone attacks on Kyiv between July 3 and July 6, 2026, described as among the heaviest of the war. At least 23 people were killed in the July 6 attack alone, with further casualties reported in follow-on strikes. The attacks caused severe air quality degradation, structural damage to residential buildings, and prompted a Day of Mourning in Kyiv.
In the first days of June 2026, Russian attacks across Ukraine resulted in multiple mass-casualty incidents, including a massive drone assault on Kherson killing 16 and injuring 86, and a market strike in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast killing 8 and injuring 62. Separate attacks killed 5 in Sumy Oblast and 12 elsewhere.
Around 2 July 2026, a Russian overnight attack destroyed approximately 800,000 Ukrainian books, and a separate explosion at a major Ukrainian postal company in Kyiv killed one and injured two. These incidents occurred in the immediate context of the broader Kyiv barrage.
On 4 July 2026, US President Trump spoke with Russian President Putin and offered to help end the Russia-Ukraine war, according to the Kremlin. The call occurred on US Independence Day, and Zelensky separately thanked Washington for continued support.
Russia launched what was described as its most massive attack on Kyiv on the night of 1–2 July 2026, deploying missiles and drones against the Ukrainian capital. The attack killed at least 27–30 people and injured more than 80, striking residential apartment buildings. Both sides vowed to escalate following the barrage.
In late May to early June 2026, Ukraine launched multiple drone attacks targeting St Petersburg, including an oil terminal, coinciding with Russia's St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). Russia described one attack as 'unprecedented' and reported hundreds of drones downed.
On June 2, 2026, a drone attack struck a civilian bus in Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine, killing seven people. The incident was reported as part of escalating drone warfare in the region.
Between early and mid-June 2026, Ukraine conducted multiple drone and missile strikes against Russian energy infrastructure, including a chemical plant, oil depot, and a marine terminal in Krasnodar Krai, setting several facilities ablaze.
On June 14, 2026, Russia conducted a large-scale missile and drone attack on Kyiv, striking residential buildings and damaging a historic cathedral. At least nine people were reported killed across Ukraine in the attack.
In early to mid-June 2026, Ukraine reported new strikes on bridges linking Crimea with mainland Russia, while pro-Ukrainian partisans claimed the Russian Black Sea Fleet command was planning to relocate from Crimea to Novorossiysk. A Turkish-flagged fishing vessel was also attacked near occupied Crimea.
In late May 2026, Ukrainian UAVs attacked multiple vessels in the Black Sea north of the Bosphorus Strait, reportedly striking Russian shadow fleet tankers conducting offshore oil transfers. The strikes were attributed to Ukraine by Russian-affiliated sources.
On or around May 28, 2026, a Russian drone struck a residential building in Romania during a wider aerial attack on Ukraine, injuring two people. NATO condemned Russia's actions, and Putin claimed the drone was likely Ukrainian. Romania, a NATO member, was struck amid broader Russian air operations.
In late May 2026, Western leaders and Ukrainian officials expressed concern about Belarus potentially offering military assistance to Russia. France's Macron called Lukashenko in a rare diplomatic contact, while a Belarusian opposition leader visited Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Zelensky visited Sweden in late May 2026 for an announcement that Sweden would provide 16 Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine. The development was described as significant for Ukraine's air capabilities.
Russian strikes on Kherson on May 27, 2026 killed at least two people and injured 23 across Ukraine. One strike specifically targeted a playground in Kherson, killing a father and injuring his family.
In mid-to-late May 2026, Russia warned Latvia of retaliation over reported Ukrainian drone plans, which Latvia dismissed as fiction. Separately, a Ukrainian drone was shot down by a NATO jet over Estonia, with Kyiv blaming Moscow for steering it there.
On May 26–27, 2026, Russian forces conducted widespread strikes across Ukraine including an Iskander missile strike on a UN humanitarian warehouse in Dnipro, strikes on Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv, and an airstrike on Kramatorsk injuring at least 12. Simultaneously, Ukraine launched overnight UAV and missile strikes on Crimea, targeting Sevastopol and an electrical power station, with Russian air defenses reportedly intercepting multiple missiles.
Ukraine conducted a series of long-range drone strikes on oil refineries deep inside Russia in May 2026, halting oil refining operations in central Russia. Multiple refineries were targeted, including the Syzran and Tuapse facilities. Russia's Syzran refinery reportedly halted operations following a strike around May 21.
Around 24–25 May 2026, Ukrainian forces conducted multiple offensive strikes against Russian military and energy infrastructure, including an oil facility in Bryansk Oblast, logistics targets near Mariupol, and Russian military infrastructure in occupied Luhansk Oblast using Storm Shadow missiles.
Around 25–26 May 2026, Russia's Foreign Ministry and senior officials including Lavrov publicly announced plans for new mass strikes on Kyiv, specifically targeting 'decision-making centers.' The threats prompted European countries to summon Russian envoys and triggered diplomatic warnings about further escalation.
On the night of 23–24 May 2026, Russian forces conducted one of the largest ballistic missile and drone strikes of the war against Kyiv and surrounding regions, causing casualties and damage across all districts of the capital. At least 4 people were killed and around 100 injured. The attack reportedly included Oreshnik MRBM launches, Tsirkon missiles, and UAVs targeting industrial, warehouse, and administrative facilities.
In the days preceding and following the 23–24 May 2026 Kyiv attack, multiple reports emerged warning of potential Oreshnik missile use, Russian drone strikes on Ukrainian cities, and Putin's vow to retaliate following accusations of Ukrainian strikes on a student dormitory in Luhansk. These claims provide context for the broader Russian escalation campaign in late May 2026.
Kherson Oblast, southern Ukraine — Dnipro river, Nova Kakhovka reservoir area