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.
Following the initial strike in the Poltava region, Russia launched a second attack targeting first responders, killing two: rescuers Dmytro Skryl and Hero of Ukraine Viktor Kuzmenko.At least four people were killed in the Poltava Oblast. Following the initial strike, Russia launched a second one targeting responders, killing two more rescuers, Dmytro Skryl and Hero of Ukraineі Viktor Kuzmenko.
Under the leadership of a Hero of Ukraine, Viktor Kuzmenko, 17 people were saved following the 2024 strike on Poltava. He participated in more than 50 operations to mitigate the consequences of shelling and prevent technological disasters, personally extinguishing fires at critical infrastructure sites.
Dmytro Skryl, a firefighter-rescuer, worked at the SES for over 20 years. He repeatedly participated in extinguishing complex fires at oil and gas industry facilities caused by enemy shelling. Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko said that he was a responsible and professional rescuer who knew his job well and performed it even in the most difficult situations.
Dmytro Skryl and Hero of Ukraine Viktor KuzmenkoAs a result of the Russian strike, an industrial enterprise was damaged. 3,480 subscribers have been left without a gas supply in the Poltava Oblast.
As for the injured, their number reached over 30 by morning, with some in critical condition.
Three Naftogaz employees were killed in two regions, the company stated.
“They struck treacherously and brutally – with UAVs and ballistics. “If significant damage occurred, we will suffer a loss in production,” Naftogaz Ukraine commented.
In the Kharkiv Oblast, Russians killed one person and injured four others.
Additionally, during the night, the Russians struck the railway in the Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Sumy regions; as a result, some trains were temporarily halted, and passengers were shielded from drones.
In the Kyiv Oblast, three people were wounded as a result of the attack. Strikes were reported in the residential sector of the Brovary district and an industrial facility in the Vyshhorod District.
“Absolute cynicism – to ask for silence for propaganda celebrations and to deliver such missile and drone strikes on all the days leading up to it,” – President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on Russia’s night strikes and the “truce” Putin asked for on May 9.
To provide background, the previous night, Russia struck the Sumy and Kharkiv regions, where there were also casualties.
Ukrainian experts point out that countries including China, North Korea, Hungary, Slovakia, Iran, and Brazil assist Moscow in killing Ukrainians in its war against Ukraine by funding the Russian budget through trade.
Over the last three and a half years, China has become a critically important partner for the Russian Federation. While Beijing officially declares its neutrality, Western intelligence and analytical studies indicate otherwise. For instance, China does not supply weapons directly to Russia, but it provides critically important components, including machinery, microelectronics, specialized chemicals, optics, gunpowder, and ammunition components.
Donald Trump announced several days ago that the United States would lower tariffs on Indian goods in exchange for India halting its imports of Russian oil.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked Trump but did not explicitly confirm the deal or disclose further details.
According to energy data firm Kpler, purchases have declined in recent months but still averaged approximately 1.2 million barrels per day in January.
Meanwhile, the Center for Strategic and International Studies found that in 2024 China increased sales of ammonium perchlorate — a key ingredient used to produce solid propellant for Iskander missiles. This assistance enabled Russia to triple its ballistic missile production, the report stated. Beijing’s support has bolstered Russia’s defense industrial base, enabling Russian forces to launch salvos of 13 to 18 Iskander-M ballistic missiles in 2026.
Overall imports from China have grown to represent one-third of Russia’s total imports, while Russian oil exports now account for 75% of all oil purchased by Beijing. Analysts specifically highlighted defense-related imports, which provided the Russian military-industrial complex with machine tools, components, and raw materials for weapons manufacturing.
Furthermore, Russia’s defense industry also received computer chips, machine tools, radars, and sensors from China, according to CSIS. These goods are part of a list of 50 items aiding weapons production, effectively compensating for Russia’s limited manufacturing capacity in its defense sector. Other areas of support include the supply of drone hulls, lithium batteries, and fiber-optic cables. CSIS reported that Russian imports from China rose from $190 billion in 2022 to $250 billion in 2024.
In 2024, then-U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that 70% of heavy industrial equipment and 90% of all microelectronics are sourced from China, which then flows into Russia.
Furthermore, according to recent NATO intelligence data, 80% of all Russian drones consist of Chinese parts.
According to The Telegraph newspaper, Chinese firms supplied sanctioned Russian companies with at least £47 million ($57.4 million USD) worth of parts between 2023 and 2024. Almost a quarter of the value of these supplies went to firms that produce Shahed-type drones.
Moreover, the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine stated that China is also providing intelligence to Russia. The Kremlin used this data to prepare missile strikes, particularly against objects belonging to foreign investors, though the specific targets were not clarified. China denies these accusations.
Following the imposition of Western sanctions, Beijing has become a key supplier to Russia of cars, clothing, raw materials, and a range of other goods. In 2023, Russia-China trade turnover set a historic record, exceeding $240 billion, which is more than 60% higher than before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to Chinese customs data.
Reuters also reported that China is buying oil and gas from Russia. The average daily volume of oil is more than two million barrels per day. During Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing, the countries signed a document for the supply of 106 billion cubic meters of gas per year to China.
Reuters also reported that tens of thousands of cars are being exported from China to Russia under gray-market schemes that often circumvent Western and Asian government sanctions and automakers’ commitments to exit the Russian market, according to registration data reviewed by Reuters and interviews with five people involved in the trade.
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