Trending Now - Intense Drone Warfare: Ukraine and Russia Exchange Heavy Strikes

WHO:

France 24 - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to launch more retaliatory strikes.

Euronews - US President Donald Trump announced a three-day ceasefire and a prisoner exchange.

WHAT:

France 24 - Ukraine launched more than 500 drones at Russia, killing three people in the Moscow region.

France 24 - Air defenses shot down 556 drones across 14 Russian regions, including Moscow.

France 24 - The Moscow region's Governor Andrey Vorobyov reported that one woman was killed and one person was trapped under rubble.

France 24 - Four people were wounded, and infrastructure facilities were targeted in the attack.

Euronews - Russia launched 294 drones at Ukraine, with 269 shot down and 20 hitting 15 locations.

Euronews - One person was killed and 23 injured in Kherson due to Russian strikes.

Euronews - 39 settlements in Odesa were left without power, affecting over 22,000 consumers.

Euronews - The bodies of 528 Ukrainian soldiers were returned to Ukraine.

Euronews - A prisoner exchange occurred, with both sides exchanging 205 prisoners of war each.

WHERE:

France 24 - The attacks occurred in the Moscow region and across 14 Russian regions, including the Crimean peninsula and the Black and Azov seas.

Euronews - The Russian drone attacks targeted areas in Ukraine, including Kherson, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Sumy.

WHEN:

France 24 - The drone attack on Russia occurred overnight, with the report stating it was one of the largest barrages so far.

Euronews - The prisoner exchange took place on May 15, 2026.

WHY:

France 24 - Zelensky stated that targeting military and energy sites within Russia was "entirely justified" in response to Russian attacks on Ukraine.

Euronews - The exchanges of prisoners and remains have been one of the few areas of cooperation between Moscow and Kyiv since the start of the invasion.

HOW:

France 24 - Ukrainian forces regularly strike within Russia in response to daily bombardments by the Russian military.

Euronews - The Ukrainian Air Force reported the interception of 269 out of 294 Russian drones launched in the attack.

(UPDATED May 17, 2026 07:50 UTC)

Ukrainian President Zelensky has vowed to escalate retaliatory strikes following a significant drone attack that saw Ukraine launch over 500 drones at Russia, resulting in three fatalities in the Moscow region. In a related development, President Trump announced a three-day ceasefire and a prisoner exchange, which took place on May 15, 2026, with both sides exchanging 205 prisoners of war each. The ongoing conflict has seen both nations intensify their drone assaults, with Russia launching 294 drones at Ukraine, leading to casualties and power outages in several Ukrainian settlements.