Russia fires 670 drones, 56 missiles

Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults of the war on May 14, firing 675 attack drones and 56 missiles at Ukraine overnight, with Kyiv as the main target, Ukrainian officials said. Ukraine’s air force said it intercepted or suppressed 652 drones and 41 missiles, but strikes and falling debris still hit multiple locations in the capital and other regions. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia had launched 1,567 drones since the start of Wednesday, turning the latest attack into a two-day barrage on a scale not previously seen in the war. By late Thursday, Ukrainian officials said at least 27 civilians had been killed over the two days, including at least 21 in Kyiv. ### How large was this attack compared with earlier strikes? The 675 drones and 56 missiles fired overnight made the May 14 attack one of the heaviest single barrages of the war by volume, according to figures released by Ukraine’s military and cited by multiple international outlets. Reuters, citing Ukrainian officials, described the two-day assault as Russia’s largest aerial attack over a two-day period since the full-scale invasion began. (usnews.com) Zelenskyy said on May 14 that Russia had used 1,567 drones since the start of Wednesday. That total suggests Moscow sustained pressure well beyond a single night, combining repeated drone waves with missile strikes in what Ukrainian officials described as an effort to keep air defenses under constant strain. (usnews.com) ### What was hit in Kyiv? Kyiv was the main target, Zelenskyy said, and damage was reported at about 20 locations across the capital. Ukrainian officials said homes, a school, a veterinary clinic and other civilian sites were damaged. A nine-story residential building in the Darnytsia district was struck and partially collapsed, becoming the focus of a large rescue operation. (usnews.com) Kyiv city authorities said on the morning of May 14 that transport had been disrupted on several streets after the overnight attack. The city’s official portal also said information on the strike was still being updated as emergency crews worked through the aftermath. ### What do the casualty figures show so far? Ukraine’s State Emergency Services said at least 21 people, including three children, were killed in Kyiv, according to Reuters. (usnews.com) Al Jazeera, citing Ukrainian authorities later on May 14, reported at least 10 confirmed deaths and 45 wounded in the capital, reflecting how the toll was changing as rescuers searched rubble and officials updated counts. (kyivcity.gov.ua) More than 1,500 rescue workers were deployed across Ukraine, including nearly 600 in Kyiv, Reuters reported. Zelenskyy said seven bodies were pulled from the rubble of one destroyed residential building, and emergency operations continued into the night. ### What have Ukrainian officials said about the purpose of the barrage? (usnews.com) Zelenskyy said on May 14 that the attack was “definitely not” the action of a side that believed the war was ending. In a separate statement on Ukraine’s presidential website, he said countering Shahed drones remained an urgent priority and said ballistic missile defense was a daily need in talks with partners. (usnews.com) Al Jazeera, citing Zelenskyy’s social media statement, reported that he called the barrage a deliberate tactic designed to create the greatest possible difficulties for Ukraine’s air defenses. That characterization was Zelenskyy’s, not an independent military assessment. ### What has Russia said? (usnews.com) Russian President Vladimir Putin said on May 9 that the war was “coming to an end,” according to Reuters’ account of the week’s events. Russia did not immediately comment on the May 14 strikes, Reuters said. Moscow’s public silence after the barrage left the Ukrainian casualty figures, air force tallies and rescue updates as the main verified account of the attack’s immediate effects. (aljazeera.com) ### What happens next in Kyiv? Friday, May 15, has been declared a day of mourning in Kyiv by Mayor Vitali Klitschko, Reuters reported. (usnews.com) Rescue work was still continuing after midnight, Ukraine’s emergency services said, with crews searching the destroyed residential building and other strike sites.