Russia strikes Ukraine's rescue workers, gas facility, and railways in massive attack on Kyiv, Kharkiv, Poltava
Photo: The extent of the damage from the attack in Kharkiv is still being assessed (facebook.com/DSNS.GOV.UA)
On the night of May 5, Russian forces once again attacked Ukraine with drones and missiles. Several cities came under attack, resulting in damage to buildings, fatalities, and numerous casualties.
RBC-Ukraine reports on the consequences of the Russian attack.
Key takeaways
- Residents of the Kyiv region, Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia were affected by the Russian attack. There are fatalities.
- Industrial facilities and civilian infrastructure have been damaged.
- Russian missiles (likely ballistic) were detected heading toward Kharkiv and Cherkasy, while guided aerial bombs were flying toward Zaporizhzhia.
- Regions under Russian drone attack: there are consequences of the attacks in Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy, Poltava, and other regions.
Weapons used
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia made attempts to attack various regions with drones. Specifically, from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. Kyiv time, drones were detected in the Sumy, Chernihiv, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Cherkasy, Odesa, and Kharkiv regions.
However, at 3:12 a.m., an alert was issued in many regions of Ukraine due to a ballistic missile threat. After that, the Ukrainian military detected high-speed targets in the Kharkiv region and in the direction of Cherkasy. A little later, the Russians launched guided aerial bombs over the Zaporizhzhia region. As a result, explosions were heard in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Cherkasy (though in Cherkasy, the Russian missiles did not reach their targets).
Consequences of Russian attack
Dnipro
Dnipro was the first city to be attacked by Russian drones late on the evening of May 4.
Oleksandr Hanzha, head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration, reported that three private homes were destroyed and a critical infrastructure facility was damaged as a result of the Russian attack. It was later reported that one person was injured.
"A 62-year-old man was injured in a Russian attack on Dnipro. Rescue workers extinguished fires in the residential area. In addition to residential buildings, vehicles were damaged," the report states.
The number of injured later rose to two. In addition, an infrastructure facility in the Dnipro district was damaged.
Source: Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration
Source: Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration
Source: Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration
Source: Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration
Source: Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration
Kyiv and Kyiv region
In Kyiv, an air raid alert was issued at 4:33 a.m. due to Russian drones. Explosions were heard in the city amid the Russian attack, and air defense systems were audible, but there was no information on the consequences.
At the same time, the Russians also attacked the Kyiv region. According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, as of this morning, there were three casualties in the region, specifically, in the Brovary district, Russia targeted a residential area, injuring two people, in the Vyshhorod district, a Russian attack caused a fire at an industrial facility, injuring one person.
Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine
Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine
Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine
Mykola Kalashnyk, head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration, reported on the aftermath of the overnight Russian strike.
"Unfortunately, the number of casualties has risen to three. In the Vyshhorod district, a man born in 1971 was injured. He sustained minor shrapnel wounds to his face. Medical personnel provided on-site treatment; he does not require hospitalization," he wrote.
In the Brovary district, the facade of a high-rise building, private homes, and cars were damaged. In the Vyshhorod district, in addition to private homes, a gas station, cars, and a business were damaged.
Poltava
The Poltava region bore the brunt of the attacks last night. There are casualties and injuries as a result of the Russian attacks.
According to Vitalii Diakivnych, head of the Poltava Regional Military Administration, Russia attacked the Poltava region with missiles and drones.
"Direct hits and falling debris were recorded at two locations in the Poltava district. An industrial facility was damaged as a result of the attack. 3,480 residents were left without a gas supply. Railway infrastructure was also damaged," the statement says.
As of now, four people are known to have been killed, and another 31 were injured.
Overnight, Russia struck a gas production facility in the Poltava region. Two rescue workers were killed in the Russian attack.
"Overnight, Russia attacked a gas production facility in the Poltava region. When State Emergency Service of Ukraine units arrived at the scene and began extinguishing a large-scale fire, Russia struck the people with a missile. Unfortunately, two rescuers died as a result of their injuries," the State Emergency Service of Ukraine says in a statement.
As a result of the attack, 23 rescuers were also injured. Three people are in critical condition.
Kharkiv
Kharkiv came under Russian rocket attack overnight. According to Mayor Ihor Terekhov, one strike was recorded in an open area in the Osnovianskyi district of the city. The roof and windows of an apartment building were damaged.
Another rocket strike occurred near a warehouse building, also in the Osnovianskyi district. The Russian attack damaged the warehouse and vehicles.
At 07:25 and 07:35 a.m., the Russians struck the Kholodnohirskyi and Osnovianskyi districts of the city with drones. At least one person was injured as a result of these attacks, though the exact number is being verified.
Russian attack on railway line in Kharkiv region
Deputy Prime Minister for the Reconstruction of Ukraine Oleksii Kuleba reported that Russia struck a railway line in the Kharkiv region this morning. A Russian drone attacked and destroyed a railcar.
Russia strikes railway line in Ukraine's Kharkiv region pic.twitter.com/Uit6YP4XHX
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) May 5, 2026
"But the main thing is that people are safe. The monitoring center responded, allowing the conductor to take shelter in a mobile shelter in time. The locomotive crew was also brought to safety. Preliminary reports indicate no casualties," the statement says.
Russia also struck railways in the Poltava and Dnipropetrovsk regions overnight.
Chernihiv
Photo: aftermath of the Russian strike on the Chernihiv region (t.me/dsns_telegram)
Overnight, Russia also attacked the Chernihiv region. According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, two men were injured in the Russian attack. They are in the hospital.
"In the Chernihiv district, in one of the settlements of the Horodnia territorial community, a residential building caught fire as a result of strikes on the private sector. Rescuers quickly extinguished the fire," the rescue service adds.
Zaporizhzhia
At approximately 3:50 a.m., Russian drones were detected heading toward the Zaporizhzhia region. Following this, the head of the Regional Military Administration, Ivan Fedorov, reported that a fire had been detected in a non-residential building as a result of the Russian attack.
"A woman was injured as a result of a Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia. She is receiving the necessary medical care," he adds later.
Photo: The aftermath of the Russian attacks on Zaporizhzhia (https://t.me/ivan_fedorov_zp/39410)
Overnight, Russia launched a missile and drone strike on Zaporizhzhia and the surrounding area. Three people were killed in the Russian attack.
Sumy
Photo: A crater caused by a strike in the Sumy region (https://t.me/serhii_kryvosheienko/1461)
Russia also attacked Sumy overnight. A strike by a cruise missile was recorded on the outskirts of the city. According to Serhii Kryvosheiko, head of the military administration, there were no casualties as a result of the Russian attack.
"Warehouse buildings and about 10 parked vehicles were damaged. About 10 windows and balcony frames were shattered in a nearby high-rise residential building," he says.
Russian attack on Ukraine
The Russians attack Ukraine daily, using drones, missiles, and other weapons.
In particular, on the night of May 2, Kharkiv, Izmail, Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhzhia came under Russian drone attacks. Residential buildings were damaged in the cities, and people were injured.
For more details on the consequences of the Russian attack, read the report by RBC-Ukraine.
