Russia launches 114 aerial attacks across Ukraine; civilians killed in Kherson, Zaporizhzhia

In the early hours of Saturday, May 31, 2025, Russia launched 114 aerial attacks on Ukraine using Iranian-designed Shahed drones, cruise missiles, and guided bombs, killing at least 10 civilians and injuring 33 across five regions. The Ukrainian Air Force confirmed intercepting 69 drones and three Kh-series missiles, but many evaded air defenses, hitting civilian targets in Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Kherson, Donetsk, and Sumy.

The wave of attacks, described by officials as one of the largest overnight assaults in recent months, comes just days before U.S.-brokered ceasefire talks are set to resume in Istanbul. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the Kremlin of deliberately escalating the conflict to undermine the upcoming peace negotiations.

Where Did Russia Strike in Ukraine Overnight? Regional Casualties and Damage Explained

In Zaporizhzhia, a 9-year-old girl was killed and a 16-year-old boy was injured in the village of Dolynka following a missile strike, according to the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration. Emergency services confirmed the strike targeted a residential area, not a military facility.

In Kharkiv, five civilians were injured in strikes that damaged a shopping center and nearby residential buildings. The Kharkiv Regional Military Administration confirmed that the city was struck by Shahed drones and artillery fire.

In Kherson, Russian artillery and drone strikes claimed three lives and injured 10 people, including emergency responders. The Kherson Regional Military Administration reported that several critical infrastructure facilities were targeted.

Donetsk saw five deaths and nine injuries, with authorities confirming that high-explosive munitions hit Kramatorsk and surrounding areas. Meanwhile, in Sumy, one civilian was killed and five others injured in cross-border shelling involving Russian artillery.

These figures were verified through statements from each region’s military administration and corroborated by Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.

Why Are These Attacks Politically Significant?

The timing of the aerial assault is politically significant. After months of fragile backchannel diplomacy, U.S.-facilitated peace talks are scheduled to restart in Istanbul early next week. But hopes for meaningful progress appear increasingly dim. Zelenskyy warned that the attacks signal Moscow’s intent to derail the process before it begins.

In a Telegram post, he stated that the attacks were “a clear political choice by the Russian leadership” aimed at demonstrating defiance, not military necessity. He reiterated his demand for new sanctions, saying “only strong and unified international pressure can make the Kremlin cease fire and negotiate sincerely.”

Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs echoed this sentiment, stating that Russia’s actions were in direct violation of international humanitarian law.

What Has President Trump Said About the Escalation?

U.S. President Donald Trump, now in his second term, has publicly criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for escalating hostilities. Speaking to reporters last weekend, Trump said Putin had “gone absolutely crazy” in recent weeks, referencing the sharp rise in drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities.

At the same time, Trump rebuked Zelenskyy for what he described as “problematic public posturing,” suggesting that Kyiv should tone down rhetoric ahead of negotiations. This dual approach — criticizing both leaders — reflects Trump’s emphasis on transactional diplomacy and personal leverage, according to White House insiders quoted by the Wall Street Journal.

The Trump administration is reportedly considering the imposition of a new sanctions package focused on Russian defense-sector suppliers, particularly drone manufacturers and missile component exporters.

What’s Driving the Rise in Drone and Missile Strikes?

According to Ukrainian defense officials and Western military analysts, Russia’s use of swarming tactics involving dozens of Shahed-136 drones in combination with precision-guided missiles is intended to exhaust Ukrainian air defense systems and overwhelm radar coverage.

Since early May 2025, more than 900 aerial projectiles — including drones, Kh-59 and Kh-69 cruise missiles — have been launched against Ukrainian territory, targeting both civilian and dual-use infrastructure.

Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) note that this trend is indicative of Russia’s evolving “attrition-through-terror” strategy aimed at weakening morale ahead of summer offensives, particularly in eastern Ukraine.

How Are Ukraine’s Air Defenses Holding Up?

Ukraine’s air defense remains partially effective but heavily strained. Urban centers like Kyiv and Lviv have high interception rates due to Western-supplied systems such as Patriot, NASAMS, and IRIS-T, but smaller towns and frontline zones remain vulnerable.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that of the 114 aerial threats on May 31, 2025, 69 drones and three missiles were intercepted. However, gaps in low-altitude coverage persist, particularly in rural zones and along the frontlines in Kherson and Donetsk.

Brigadier General Serhiy Holubtsov emphasized in a Saturday morning briefing that Ukraine needs continued and timely shipments of interceptor missiles and advanced counter-UAV technologies to sustain defensive capabilities.

What Is the International Community’s Response?

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the attacks and pledged that the EU would finalize its 14th sanctions package against Russia, focused on drone components and military electronics. French President Emmanuel Macron supported the sanctions push, while also calling for renewed momentum in ceasefire negotiations.

The European Commission confirmed it would accelerate enforcement of existing export controls to prevent third-country smuggling of critical drone components into Russia via Central Asia.

In Washington, the National Security Council released a statement reaffirming support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and promising further military assistance if talks in Istanbul collapse.

At the United Nations, an emergency session of the Security Council is set for Monday. Humanitarian agencies including UNICEF and Médecins Sans Frontières have raised concerns about the psychological impact of repeated drone attacks on children and displaced populations in war-affected areas.

What’s the Outlook as Talks Resume in Istanbul?

Despite mounting international pressure, prospects for a breakthrough in Istanbul remain bleak. Russia has yet to present a concrete ceasefire proposal, and Ukrainian negotiators maintain that no agreement is possible without a full withdrawal of Russian troops from occupied territory.

Sources close to the negotiating teams say the latest attacks have hardened Ukraine’s stance and made further concessions politically impossible in Kyiv. Meanwhile, Moscow is reportedly pressing for recognition of Crimea and the Donbas republics as non-negotiable conditions — a red line for Zelenskyy’s administration.

Analysts from Chatham House and the Atlantic Council forecast that unless a limited ceasefire deal can be reached by July 2025, the war is likely to enter a prolonged stalemate marked by intensified drone warfare and continued destruction of critical infrastructure.

With battlefield momentum static and international fatigue growing, the next two weeks may prove decisive in determining whether diplomacy has any real future in ending Europe’s largest war since 1945.