Kharkiv under fire, Russian forces eye new offensive
Two people were injured in a Russian rocket attack on Kharkiv's Kholodnohirskyi district on the night of Thursday, May 22. According to city mayor Ihor Terekhov, the explosion damaged eight private homes.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian army has observed a concentration of Russian troops on the border of the Kharkiv region. This information was confirmed on May 21 to the "Suspilne" television channel by Andrii Pomahaibus, chief of staff of the 13th Operational Assignment Brigade "Khartiia." According to him, these movements could indicate preparations for active offensive operations in the Kharkiv direction, DW reports.
"Russians typically employ a combined approach: artillery, unmanned systems for attack and reconnaissance, and heavy equipment. Concurrently, infantry is also deployed – distracting in one direction while advancing in another," Pomahaibus explained.
He noted that Russia is particularly increasing the number of fiber-optic guided drones, with a range of 15 to 30 kilometers. These UAVs pose "a serious problem" because they can't be countered by electronic warfare systems, the Ukrainian military stated. However, he added that mechanisms to combat these drones do still exist.
Separately, a 28-year-old man was killed after Russian forces launched explosives from a drone onto a farm in the Semenivka community of the Chernihiv region. According to Viacheslav Chaus, head of the Chernihiv Regional Military Administration, the victim was a farm employee caught in the attack while working, Ukrinform reports.
Also in the Chernihiv region, Russian forces attacked a school in the Koriukivka district using drones. The explosion damaged the school's windows, doors, roof, and facade.
New drone attacks on Russia
Drone attacks also occurred in several Russian regions. The governor of Russia's Smolensk region claimed that three Ukrainian drones were intercepted and shot down over the region last night. In a brief message posted on his Telegram channel, the regional governor reported no casualties or material damage.
Russian forces announced they had shot down 23 Ukrainian attack drones targeting Moscow overnight, the capital's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, reported. Drone debris fell in several locations around the city, and emergency teams were mobilized to assess the damage.
The attacks led to the temporary suspension of operations at Moscow's main airports—Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, and Vnukovo—according to Rosaviatsia, the Russian civil aviation agency. Operations were later resumed at Domodedovo Airport.
Russian sources reported approximately 12 explosions in the Russian city of Tula.
Moscow authorities announced that over 100 Ukrainian drones were shot down over Russian regions last night. Russia and Ukraine have been launching reciprocal aerial attacks almost every night as part of a conflict now in its third year.
Meanwhile, Western leaders are intensifying pressure for a diplomatic solution. European efforts, supported by the United States, aim to secure a ceasefire from Moscow. However, a recent phone conversation between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, yielded no progress in this regard.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
