Russian Strikes Kill 52 and Injure 22 Children Across Ukraine in One Week, Zelenskyy Says

Russia launched more than 3,170 strike drones, over 1,300 guided aerial bombs, and 74 missiles against Ukraine over the past week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on May 17, as Russian attacks continued to target civilian infrastructure across the country.

According to Zelenskyy, the week-long wave of strikes killed at least 52 people and injured 346 others, including 22 children. The president said many of the attacks hit residential buildings and civilian sites.

“Many strikes hit residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure,” Zelenskyy stated in a message published on social media on May 17.

The president said most of the missiles launched during the week were ballistic missiles. He also renewed calls for additional air defense support from Ukraine’s international partners, particularly systems capable of intercepting ballistic threats.

“Our people need more protection, and everything that supports Ukrainian air defense ultimately helps save lives,” Zelenskyy said. “Therefore, PURL and additional contributions for anti-ballistic missiles are important.”

Zelenskyy also called for broader European cooperation on missile defense, stating that the continent should develop greater self-sufficiency against ballistic missile threats.

“We must be self-sufficient in defense so that Russian aerial terror cannot threaten either Ukraine or any other country on the continent,” he said.

The comments followed a large-scale Russian aerial attack against Kyiv earlier this week that caused damage to residential infrastructure in several districts of the capital. Ukrainian officials have increasingly focused on tracing the origin of foreign-made electronic components recovered from Russian missiles and drones used in strikes across Ukraine.

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