Russian strikes killed seven civilians in Ukraine on May 26

Russian strikes killed seven civilians in the Odesa, Kherson and Donetsk regions on 26 May, while nearly 50 others were injured, including in the Kharkiv, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia and Chernihiv Oblasts, Ukraine’s National Police reported.

A civilian car fired upon by Russian forces on a road between villages in the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast

Those killed in Russian strikes on 26 May:

• one person in Odesa, which Russian forces struck overnight;
• five residents of Mykolaivka in the Donetsk Oblast;
• and a man in Mykilske in the Kherson Oblast, where Russian forces carried out an artillery strike.

At least 15 people were injured in a Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia, including an infant.

Russian strikes injured six civilians in both the Kherson and Dnipropetrovsk Oblasts.

Additionally, the daily casualty report for the Kherson Oblast included eight people wounded in Russian attacks carried out on previous days. They included three hospital maintenance workers and a nurse from Bilozerka.

At least three civilians were injured in Russian strikes in the Kharkiv Oblast on 26 May, while two people were wounded in each Sumy, Chernihiv and Donetsk Oblasts.

To provide background, Russian military strikes killed five civilians in the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions on May 25, and wounded at least 81 others, including in the Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Sumy Oblasts.

Aftermath of the Russian attack on Kyiv on 24 May 2026

Previously, ZMINA also reported that updated data shows Russian military strikes killed nine civilians in Ukraine on 24 May.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sent a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump and the U.S. Congress, reporting about Ukraine’s worsening shortage of air defence systems, particularly anti-ballistic missile capabilities, the Kyiv Independent has learned.

“It is quite rare for the leader of another state to address both the President and Congress of the United States simultaneously with a letter. But the situation now requires swift, effective action. It is important that America hear Ukraine. We understand that much of the world’s attention is currently focused on the war in Iran. But the war here in Europe must also be brought to an end – a very bloody war that is already in its fifth year at full scale. And the sooner we are able to provide greater protection against ballistic threats, the sooner we will be able to make diplomacy work”, Ukrainian President said in his evening address.

He also stressed that as long as Russia continues to rely on missiles, its interest in diplomacy is not real.

“We must correct this. And we can do so only together with America. Ukraine is grateful to America for all its support, and Ukraine will be even more grateful for a dignified peace and guaranteed security. All of this is possible – if there is sufficient determination. I thank everyone who is helping us”, he added.

Meanwhile, the Latvian and Lithuanian foreign ministries stated that Russia’s threats of large-scale strikes on the city of Kyiv constitute a violation of the UN Charter.

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