"Russia Is Banking on Escalation": Merz Condemns Deadly Kyiv Strikes as 24 Killed, Including Three Children

15 May 2026 | Kyiv / Berlin / Budapest / Brussels

KYIV, Ukraine – The rescue workers dug through concrete and twisted metal through the night. By morning, they had pulled 24 bodies from the rubble. Three of them were children.

At least 24 people, including three children, were killed in yesterday's Russian missile and drone strikes on Kyiv – one of the deadliest attacks on the capital since the full-scale war began. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the site where an entire section of an apartment building was demolished.

"The Russians practically demolished an entire section of the building with their missile," Zelenskyy said. "A Russia like this can never be normalised – a Russia that deliberately destroys lives and hopes to remain unpunished. Pressure is needed. It is Ukraine that is defending Europe and the world so that such strikes, in which children are killed, do not spread further."

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, joined by prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko and interior minister Ihor Klymenko visit the site of an apartment building damaged during yesterday's Russian missile and drone strike in Kyiv, Ukraine.

"Russia Is Banking on Escalation, Not Negotiation": Merz's Rebuke

Russia's heavy bombardment of Ukraine's capital showed Moscow was "banking on escalation rather than negotiation," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday. The attack came just days after Vladimir Putin claimed the war was "coming to an end."

"These are definitely not the actions of those who believe the war is coming to an end," Zelenskyy said.

Merz struck a pointed tone, delivering what sounded like a direct rejection of Putin's suggestion that former German chancellor Gerhard Schröder could act as a mediator. "We Europeans decide for ourselves who speaks for us. No one else," Merz said.

"Kyiv and its partners are ready for negotiations aimed at a just peace," Merz added. "Russia, for its part, is continuing the war."

Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, said Russia's attacks on Ukraine 'speak a different language' to Vladimir Putin's claim that the war is coming to an end.

Massive Drone Barrage: 800 Drones, 56 Missiles

Russia fired at least 800 drones in a massive daytime barrage on about 20 regions of Ukraine on Wednesday. Moscow launched another heavy bombardment early on Thursday, launching 675 drones and 56 missiles at Ukraine, Kyiv's air force said. Ukraine's air defences downed 652 Russian drones and 41 missiles, with 38 hits recorded across 24 locations. Damage from debris was reported at another 18 locations.

More than 1,500 rescue workers were deployed across Ukraine to deal with the aftermath, including nearly 600 in Kyiv. Zelenskyy said 180 facilities had been damaged, including more than 50 residential buildings.

A UN vehicle came under fire from drones during a humanitarian mission in Kherson city. In Kharkiv, 28 people, including three children, were wounded. Ukraine's energy ministry said electricity supplies in 11 regions had been disrupted. The strikes also targeted port infrastructure in the southern Odesa region and railways.

Hungary's Historic Shift: Magyar Summons Russian Ambassador

In a significant shift from his predecessor's friendly relations with Moscow, new Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar said his government has summoned the Russian ambassador over a massive drone attack near Hungary's border.

"The Hungarian government strongly condemns the Russian attack on Transcarpathia," Magyar told journalists. He said the Hungarian foreign minister will ask "when Russia and Vladimir Putin plan to finally end this bloody war."

Under the outgoing government of Viktor Orbán, which was voted out of office this month, Hungary blocked aid for Ukraine and tried to slow its efforts to join the EU. Magyar's swift condemnation of Russia signals a dramatic realignment of Budapest's foreign policy.

President Zelenskyy replied on X: "Thank you for your compassion and strong position!"

Péter Magyar says his government 'strongly condemns' the latest Russian attack, a massive barrage of 800 drones, and that his foreign minister will speak with Russia's ambassador on Thursday.

Latvia's Government Collapses Over Drone Incursions

Latvia's prime minister resigned after her government collapsed over the issue of Ukrainian drones straying into Latvian territory from Russia. Evika Siliņa lost her governing coalition majority after forcing out her defence minister, who resigned after Siliņa said the defence sector had "failed to fulfil its promise of safe skies over our country." MPs from the minister's party then quit the coalition and collapsed the government.

Ukraine says the drones – intended for Russian targets – are driven over the border into Latvia by Russian electronic warfare.

Finland and Latvia were both forced to step up their air defences overnight after early alerts about potential drone incursions into their territory, though no incursions were eventually reported. Finland's prime minister, Petteri Orpo, stressed that even the mere prospect of a stray Ukrainian drone crossing into Finland was unacceptable.

IAEA Warns of "Intensified" Military Activity Near Nuclear Plants

The UN nuclear watchdog on Thursday warned of "intensified" military activities near several Ukraine nuclear sites that posed significant safety risks. The IAEA named the Khmelnitsky, Rivne and South Ukraine operational nuclear plants and the Chornobyl disaster site.

There had been "a major increase in drone activity with more than 160 UAVs recorded flying in the vicinity of the sites," the IAEA said. Director General Rafael Grossi expressed "deep concern" and urged "all parties to exercise maximum restraint."

Ukrainian Drone Strikes Inside Russia: One Killed in Belgorod

Ukrainian drone attacks killed one person and injured three on Thursday in Russia's Belgorod border region, a frequent target of Ukrainian strikes aimed at military sites. A drone hit a private house in the town of Graivoron near the border, killing a man. In a second incident, a drone detonated in a village near the border, injuring two people.

The governors of two Russian regions bordering Ukraine – Belgorod and Bryansk – stepped down on Wednesday. Vladimir Putin appointed Alexander Shuvaev, a highly decorated veteran, as acting governor of Belgorod. The governor of Kursk, another border region, was dismissed after a mass incursion by Ukrainian forces in 2024 and jailed earlier this year on corruption charges.

US Aid Bill Gains Traction: 218 Signatures Force House Vote

Supporters of a bill in the US to aid Ukraine and sanction Russia have reached a critical threshold that allows them to bypass Republican leadership and force a vote on the House floor in the coming weeks. The legislation seeks to cement US assistance for Ukraine by approving more than $1 billion in security aid and making another $8 billion available in loans.

Lawmakers gained 218 signatures on a petition that will force a House vote. While the measure is unlikely to become law, the vote will put lawmakers on record concerning their support for Ukraine. Supporters have called on Donald Trump to act more forcefully to deter Russia and boost Ukraine.

Prisoner Swap: 205 Released in First Tranche of 1,000-for-1,000 Deal

Russia and Ukraine have reportedly exchanged 205 prisoners of war each, which Zelenskyy said was the first part of a broader swap of 1,000 for 1,000. The exchange offered a rare moment of humanitarian relief amid the relentless violence.

Stay updated with the latest Russia-Ukraine war headlines on our Russia-Ukraine War Page.