Russia has been accused of deliberately targeting a UN humanitarian convoy in Kherson as drones struck a clearly marked UN vehicle twice.
“The Russians could not have failed to know which vehicle they were targeting,” Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher alleged that the strikes on the convoy were possibly a “targeted attack”.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian president said Russia is planning to target around two dozen “decision-making centres”, including government buildings and military command posts.
“They have been nursing this plan for a long time, and now, after Iran, have become active again – trying to locate us and track our movements,” he said.
This comes after Russia launched more than 1,500 drones and dozens of missiles in attacks across Ukraine this week, over two consecutive days, killing dozens of people, Ukrainian officials said.
On the Russian side, a huge fire broke out at an oil refinery after strikes from Ukrainian drones in Russia’s central city of Ryazan, some 120 miles southeast of Moscow.
Russia’s defence ministry claimed on Friday to have downed 355 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions through the night.
Zelensky accuses Moscow of planning to target Ukrainian government officials
The Ukrainian president accused Russia of planning to target political and military facilities where army leadership and government officials were located.
“We have Russian documents outlining targets for strikes in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities,” Zelensky said.
“They have been nursing this plan for a long time, and now, after Iran, have become active again – trying to locate us and track our movements,” he said in a post on X.
Vishwam Sankaran16 May 2026 06:24
UN accuses Russia of striking its vehicles with drones
Andrea De Domenico, head of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Ukraine (UNOCHA), said two UN vehicles were damaged by Russian drone strikes in Ukraine.
A clearly marked UN vehicle was struck by a drone in Kherson while delivering aid to people, the UNOCHA said.
“Over 200 civilians, mostly older people, remain there,” the UN agency said.
Vishwam Sankaran16 May 2026 07:00
In Video: Ukraine and Russia exchange over 200 prisoners
Vishwam Sankaran16 May 2026 10:00
Russian missile attack on a Kyiv apartment building
Rebecca Thomas16 May 2026 09:59
‘Will not let Russia go unpunished’: Zelensky
After laying roses on the rubble of a Kyiv apartment building where a Russian missile strike killed 24 people, president Zelensky said Ukraine would not let Russia go unpunished for taking the lives.
“Ukraine will not allow any of the aggressor’s strikes that take the lives of our people to go unpunished,” Zelensky said.
He said retaliatory actions were being approved, and observed that Ukrainian drone strikes sparked a large fire on one of Russia’s largest oil refineries.
Vishwam Sankaran16 May 2026 09:00
Overnight attacks damage public infra, buildings in Odesa and Kharkiv
Russia’s overnight attacks across Odesa and Kharkiv have damaged key infrastructure and residential buildings, regional authorities said.
Several people were injured, and those affected are receiving medical treatment, the local administration of the areas said.
An attack on the region’s power infrastructure has reportedly left nearly 40 settlements without electricity and cut power to more than 22,000 consumers in Odesa.
Meanwhile, in Kharkiv, a drone strike has damaged subway entrances, an electric transport contact network, a trolleybus, and a public transport stop.
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Russia has relentlessly targeted key energy, transport, and civilian infrastructure across Ukraine.
Vishwam Sankaran16 May 2026 08:00
Russia launching recently manufactured missiles without stockpiling: Ukraine
Ukraine’s presidential commissioner for sanctions policy, Vladyslav Vlasyuk, said yesterday that Moscow is launching newly produced missiles almost immediately after production without stockpiling them.
Analysis of missile debris from late 2025 and early 2026 suggests that Russia was launching recently produced missiles, Ukraine said.
Kyiv warned that easing sanctions on Russia at the moment would increase the threat of missile strikes against Ukraine as Western supplies of Patriot interceptors to Ukraine are slowing.
Sanctions relief could overwhelm Ukrainian air defence systems and increase the likelihood of successful hits, Kyiv said.
Vishwam Sankaran16 May 2026 07:30
US and UAE mediate exchange of 250 prisoners between Ukraine and Russia
Moscow and Kyiv exchanged 250 prisoners yesterday, including Russian PoWs in detention since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.
The prisoner exchange was mediated by the US and the UAE.
It was as part of a larger 1000-for-1000 prisoner exchange that the two sides agreed to as part of the Victory Day ceasefire.
Released Ukrainian POWs ranged from as young as 21 to 62, according to Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky.
“Let’s continue to fight for each and every one who still remains in captivity,” Zelensky said in a post on Telegram.
Vishwam Sankaran16 May 2026 06:00
Ukraine war is putting military snipers out of job – report
The widespread use of military drones in the Ukraine war by both Kyiv and Moscow is putting once glorified military roles like snipers out of a job, a new Wall Street Journal report suggests.
Drones are reportedly taking snipers’ roles of reconnaissance and targeted killing in the war as they provide more visual range and manoeuvrability, can carry explosives, and instantly kill targets.
One celebrated Ukrainian special forces sniper, Vyacheslav Kovalskiy, with a world-record shot in late 2023, hitting a Russian target from 2.5 miles away, has not gone on a shooting mission for over a year and a half.
“I used to be the sniper, and everyone was dancing around me. Now the drone pilot, everyone dances around him, including me,” the sniper Vyacheslav Kovalskiy said.
The sniper now helps drone teams transport equipment, attach explosives to drones, and assist with drone navigation, he says.
Vishwam Sankaran16 May 2026 05:30
UK lawmakers slam Eurovision for not ruling out Russian participation
Lawmakers in the UK slammed the director of the Eurovision song contest for failing to rule out Russian participation.
“The Eurovision Song Contest brings nations together through creative competition, underpinned by the principle of international cooperation,” British Shadow Culture Secretary Nigel Huddleston said.
“Russia stands completely against that principle. It would be outrageous to allow Russia to participate,” Mr Huddleston said.
Eurovision has been criticised in the past for allowing Israel to participate despite its invasion of Gaza.
“For four years, the EBU has hidden behind the language of values and democratic process. We now know that when it mattered, the decision to ban Russia had nothing to do with values or principle at all,” British MP Josh Newbury said.
Vishwam Sankaran16 May 2026 05:00
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