Russians launch Shaheds toward Ukraine, areas at risk of strikes

The first drones entered Ukrainian airspace after 11:00 PM Kyiv time on Sunday, May 18.

At 11:56 PM Kyiv time, the military reported drone movements in the eastern and central parts of the Kharkiv region, heading west. Drones were also moving westward in the northern part of the Sumy region.

As of 1:13 AM Kyiv time, hostile Shaheds were reported moving:

• in the northern and central parts of the Sumy region, heading west;

• in the northeastern part of the Kharkiv region, heading west;

• east of Zaporizhzhia, heading northwest;

• in the eastern part of the Dnipropetrovsk region, heading south.

At 1:44 AM Kyiv time, the military reported drones moving from the Sumy region toward the Poltava region, as well as from Zaporizhzhia region toward the Dnipropetrovsk region.

As of 2:09 AM Kyiv time, Russian strike drones were reported moving:

• east of Nizhyn (Chernihiv region), heading southwest;

• in the southern part of the Chernihiv region, heading toward the Kyiv region;

• from the Sumy region toward the Poltava and Chernihiv regions;

• in the northern part of the Poltava region, heading southwest;

• in the northeastern part of the Kharkiv region, heading west;

• west of Dnipro, heading north;

• west of Zaporizhzhia, heading northwest.

At 02:19 AM Kyiv time, an air raid alert was declared in the Kyiv region.

As of 03:02 AM Kyiv time, Russian drones were moving:

• In the southern part of the Chernihiv region, heading southwest;

• Near the border of Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Poltava regions, heading toward Cherkasy;

• In the central and eastern Poltava region, heading south/southwest;

• In the western Kharkiv region, heading south/southwest;

• In the Kherson region, heading northwest.

By 04:07 AM Kyiv time, Russian drones were moving:

• In southern and western Poltava region, heading southwest;

• West of Kremenchuk, heading south;

• Several in the southern part of Kirovohrad region, heading north/northwest.

At 04:26 AM Kyiv time, the military reported drone movement toward Kropyvnytskyi. Residents were advised to stay in shelters.

At 04:53 AM Kyiv time, the air raid alert was lifted in Kyiv region.

At 05:08 AM Kyiv time, the Air Forces reported the threat from strike drones had ended.

As of 05:05 AM Kyiv time, the Ukrainian air raid map looked like this:

Russian air attacks

Russians continue to strike Ukrainian settlements both along the front line and deep in the rear.

On Sunday, May 18, Russia dropped an aerial bomb on Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region. Civilians were injured in the attack.

Last night, Russian forces launched the largest number of UAVs toward Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion - 273 drones in total.

Around 150 of them were directed at the Kyiv region, particularly targeting the cities of Vasylkiv and Obukhiv. The attack resulted in civilian casualties, including one fatality and several injuries.

Read more about the massive overnight drone strike and its consequences in the full RBC-Ukraine article.