30 April 2026
News
Russian shelling kills civilians across Ukraine on May 19
Russian shelling killed civilians in the Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, and Kharkiv regions on 19 May, while more than 50 people were injured, including in the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions
Russians kill six civilians across Ukraine on May 18
Six civilians were killed in the Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Kherson regions due to Russian shelling on May 18, while at least 31 others were injured, including in the Dnipropetrovsk, Chernihiv, Sumy, and Odesa regions
Russian missile strike in Pryluky kills three, including a 15-year-old boy; 23 wounded
Three people were killed, and at least 23 civilians were injured as a result of Russian shelling in the Chernihiv Oblast on May 19, 2026
Russian authorities unlawfully hold a former kindergarten employee Olha Syrotenko from Enerhodar in a pretrial detention center in Mariupol
In December 2024, FSB officers abducted her from her flat
Kyiv Commercial Court Judge Inna Otrosh has called for a probe into the activities of NGOs involved in judicial reform, including Human Rights Centre ZMINA
The judge also urged an appeal to international donors to cease funding certain organizations, specifically the DEJURE Foundation, and to investigate potential corruption risks in the activities of the Public Integrity Council (PIC) members. Furthermore, she proposed either abolishing the PIC entirely or banning funding for its operations
Russian overnight attack on Dnipro leaves 28 injured
A Russian overnight attack on a residential area in Dnipro has left 28 people injured, eight of them hospitalized
Front Line Defenders slams Ukrainian police inaction after attack on activists Olena Shevchenko and Anastasiia Gerasymenko
Front Line Defenders called on Ukrainian authorities to publicly condemn the attack, ensure the victims have access to medical and legal assistance, conduct an impartial investigation, and guarantee the safety of human rights defenders working to protect the rights of women and the LGBTIQ+ community
On Genocide Remembrance Day, Mejlis calls on international community to protect Indigenous rights, support Ukraine
The authors of the statement noted that history demonstrates a tragic continuity, as the Crimean Tatar people have once again become victims of repression and persecution
Russia launched over 3,000 drones, 70 missiles at Ukraine in a week, killing 52 – Zelenskyy
The president emphasized the need to strengthen Ukraine's air defense and the importance of international support, particularly additional contributions to anti-ballistic missile defense
European, Japanese and U.S. parts helped Russia build missiles that killed 24, including three children, in Kyiv – Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy warned that if Russia's war machine is allowed to continue, its next strikes could target Europe, Russia's other neighbors, and more distant regions, pointing to Russian involvement in Syria and Africa as evidence of its broader ambitions
Council of Europe sets up steering committee for Special Tribunal on Russia’s crime of aggression: Why it matters
Ukrainian officials explained that the decision marks a point of no return, effectively making the Special Tribunal a legal reality. The "accountability infrastructure," as the ministry calls it, will consist of three elements: the Special Tribunal, the International Claims Commission, and the Register of Damage
Russian attacks claimed the lives of 26 civilians in Ukraine on May 14
On May 14, 2026, 26 civilians were killed in Kyiv and the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions due to Russian shelling. At least 127 others sustained injuries, including in the Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Chernihiv regions
Russian human rights activist Nina Litvinova has committed suicide due to Russia’s war against Ukraine
A fragment of the letter was published by her cousin, the journalist Masha Slonim: in the message, the woman lists the names of modern Russian political prisoners whose trials she attended and states that she no longer has the strength to endure the war against Ukraine and the ongoing repressions
Russian attacks on May 13 killed six civilians across Ukraine
As a result of Russian shelling on May 13, 2026, six civilians were killed in the Kharkiv, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions. Additionally, nearly forty people sustained injuries, including in the Sumy and Ivano-Frankivsk Oblasts
Suspect in the deportation of children from occupied Kherson region becomes an ombudsperson in Russia
Yana Lantratova is a 37-year-old Russian politician who is primarily known in Ukraine as a key figure in the case involving the abduction of Marharyta Prokopenko and Illya Vashchenko from the occupied Kherson Oblast
Russia killed at least 24 civilians, including three children, in Kyiv and injured dozens more civilians across various regions in a massive wave of missile and drone strikes (updated)
As a result of Russian shelling on the night of May 14, consequences including fatalities, dozens of civilian casualties, and widespread destruction have been reported in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, Odesa, Poltava, and Donetsk regions
Nine civilians killed in Ukraine by Russian strikes on May 12
Russian shelling killed nine civilians in the Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions, and over thirty others sustained injuries, including in the Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Kherson Oblasts, on May 12, 2026
In 2025, Russians killed 41 residents of Kharkiv and injured over 970 people – Mayor Terekhov
According to Terekhov, the Russian army constantly changes its tactics and employs various types of weaponry in combined strikes against the city. Therefore, throughout the four years of the full-scale war, Kharkiv has had to adapt to new threats, with constant aerial attacks remaining the primary danger
Russian authorities hold former ATO veteran Pavlo Zaporozhets in penal colony in Omsk
Lidiia told that she passed Pavlo a Russian–French dictionary in 2023, when he was held in a pre-trial detention centre in Rostov. He started learning French then. At Vladimir Central prison, where he was later held, the staff of the custodial setting forbade him from using the dictionary
International Criminal Court declares Tajikistan’s failure to execute arrest warrant for Putin
In October 2025, Russian dictator Putin visited Tajikistan for a series of summits; however, the country's authorities ignored the International Criminal Court's requirements to arrest the Russian leader on suspicion of involvement in the deportation of Ukrainian children
Russia ended ceasefire by resuming mass drone and air attacks on Ukraine – Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy also said that until that happens, sanctions against Moscow remain necessary and should continue to be enforced and strengthened, with no easing of pressure. Zelenskyy called on partners to continue working together for security, justice, and lasting peace
Ukraine’s Ombudsman flags mental health emergency in psychiatric wards during 2025 blackouts
Lost power worsens patients' condition, leading to the decompensation of mental disorders. Darkness and the disruption of daily routines trigger increased anxiety, panic attacks, and aggressive outbursts. Disoriented patients in darkened wards create additional risks for medical staff, significantly complicating supervision and increasing the likelihood of injuries and dangerous situations, Ukrainian Ombudsman concluded
Russia uses WWII celebrations to indoctrinate children in occupied Crimea – Crimean Human Rights Group
Human rights advocate of the Crimean Human Rights Group, Iryna Siedova, emphasized that such events create an association in children's minds between war and celebration, destroying the values of peace and preparing Ukrainian children for military service in the occupier's army
RSF calls for the immediate release of Ukrainian journalist Iryna Levchenko, kidnapped in occupied Melitopol three years ago
According to the organization, Russia is currently holding at least 26 Ukrainian journalists, most of whom are detained in dire conditions. RSF underscores that such actions are aimed at suppressing freedom of speech in the occupied territories of Ukraine
Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with a missile and dozens of drones: five killed in Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Chernihiv regions (updated)
On the night of May 9, 2026, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with an "Iskander-M" ballistic missile launched from temporarily occupied Crimea and 43 strike drones. Russian attacks in the Chernihiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions resulted in the deaths of four civilians
Russian shelling killed four civilians in Ukraine on May 7
Russian shelling on May 7, 2026, killed four civilians and injured at least 52 others. Fatalities were reported in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, while various injuries were recorded in the Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv Oblasts
Russian attacks have damaged or destroyed 36 prisons, 98 police detention facilities, and 167 court buildings in Ukraine since 2022 – Ombudsman
Ombudsman has issued acts of response regarding the necessity of timely urgent measures to ensure the temporary relocation of institutional care facilities located in active combat zones or nearby settlements, as well as in zones less than 50 km from the state borders with Russia and the Republic of Belarus
Russia shows “not even token attempt” to cease fire despite own truce – Zelenskyy
The head of the Ukrainian state said that over the course of last night, the Russian army continued to strike Ukrainian positions
Russian strikes killed 10 civilians in Ukraine on May 6
Russian shelling on May 6, 2026, killed 10 civilians and injured at least 52 others. Fatalities were reported in the Sumy, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions, while various injuries were recorded in the Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv regions
Russian strikes killed 26 civilians and injured over 150 across Ukraine on May 5
Russian shelling on May 5, 2026, killed 26 civilians and injured over 150 others. Fatalities were reported in the Poltava, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions, while various injuries were recorded in the Kharkiv, Kherson, and Sumy Oblasts
Russian shelling killed 17 civilians in Ukraine on May 4
Russian shelling on May 4, 2026, killed 17 civilians in the Kharkiv, Donetsk, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, and at least 62 more were wounded, including in the Chernihiv Oblast, according to the National Police of Ukraine
Russian overnight strike: at least five killed, over 30 injured; rail Infrastructure targeted in three regions (updated)
As a result of Russian shelling on the night of May 5, 2026, in the Poltava, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv regions, civilian casualties and injuries have been reported by regional military administrations and the State Emergency Service (SES), as well as the destruction of infrastructure, specifically railway infrastructure
Political decision and a dangerous precedent: Experts comment on Poland’s release of architect Butyagin, who was to be extradited to Ukraine
During the review of the request, Poland provided a proper assessment of the Ukrainian side's materials and recognized them as sufficient to resolve the issue of extraditing the individual to Ukraine. The subsequent decision regarding Butyagin was made in the context of international agreements related to the exchange of detainees
Russia abducts at least 17 Crimean residents, holds them incommunicado for months – Irade human rights initiative
Monitoring conducted by the Irade between February 2025 and May 2025
Russian drones target Kherson all day, kill two, wound 13 including teens
Russian forces killed at least two people and injured 13 others in multiple drone strikes across Kherson on May 2, 2026б with Russia targeting buses, pedestrians, and teenagers throughout the day
At the UN, Ukraine highlighted systematic persecution of journalists in Russian-occupied territories
Ukraine called on the international community to demand the release of all illegally detained journalists and to strengthen the response to Russian information campaigns
