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Russia Launches Record 355 Shahed Drones in Massive Strike on Ukraine, Killing at Least Six People

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Amira Barkhush
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Russia Launches Record 355 Shahed Drones in Massive Strike on Ukraine, Killing at Least Six People
Emergency workers dealing with the aftermath of the Russian attack on the Khmelnytskyi region on May 26, 2025. (Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Khmelnytskyi region)

Russia conducted its third consecutive large-scale aerial and drone assault on Ukraine overnight on May 26, killing at least six people and injuring 24 across several regions.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russian forces launched nine Kh-101 cruise missiles from Tu-95MS strategic bombers and deployed a record 355 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted all nine missiles and downed 233 drones. An additional 55 drones were either neutralized by electronic warfare systems or lost from radar detection.

The scale of the attack marked the most extensive drone strike since the start of the full-scale invasion, surpassing the previous high of 298 drones recorded on the night of May 25.

Emergency workers dealing with the aftermath of the Russian attack on the Khmelnytskyi region on May 26, 2025. (Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Khmelnytskyi region)
Emergency workers dealing with the aftermath of the Russian attack on the Khmelnytskyi region on May 26, 2025. (Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Khmelnytskyi region)

The attacks spanned multiple regions and targeted both military and civilian infrastructure, continuing a pattern of intensified aerial strikes across Ukraine.

Mykolaiv region

In Mykolaiv, two people were killed and six injured in a large-scale drone attack, including three hospitalized in serious condition, Governor Vitalii Kim said. Separate drone strikes hit nearby communities without further casualties.

Kherson region

Kherson region reported one fatality and four injuries following shelling and drone attacks on at least 30 settlements, including the regional capital. Damage included residential buildings, a gas pipeline, and social infrastructure, local officials confirmed.

Emergency workers dealing with the aftermath of the Russian attack on the Kharkiv region on May 26, 2025. (Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Kharkiv region)
Emergency workers dealing with the aftermath of the Russian attack on the Kharkiv region on May 26, 2025. (Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Kharkiv region)

Kharkiv region

In the Kharkiv region, two civilians were killed and three injured in Kupiansk during strikes involving glide bombs, drones, and artillery, Head of the local Regional State Administration Oleh Syniehubov reported. The assault damaged 39 homes, commercial buildings, and infrastructure in several districts.

Sumy region

In the Sumy region, one person was killed and two were injured amid 80 separate strikes targeting 33 settlements. Russian forces used glide bombs, rocket artillery, and FPV drones.

Additional injuries were reported in the Donetsk region, six injured, the Zaporizhzhia region, two injured, and the Odesa region, 1 injured. Damage to homes, vehicles, and civilian infrastructure was widespread.

Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Khmelnytskyi, and Cherkasy region also came under aerial assault. No casualties were reported, but air defenses intercepted multiple threats. Structural damage was noted in residential and utility areas.

In the early hours of May 25, Ukraine endured one of the most intense air assaults of the war, as Russian forces launched 367 drones and missiles across multiple regions, killing 13 people and injuring more than 60 others, including several children.

The day before, on May 24, Russia launched 14 Iskander-M ballistic missiles and around 250 drones across Ukrainian territory.

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