Escalation in drone strikes between Russia and Ukraine
On May 22, 2026, multiple drone strikes were reported across the Russia-Ukraine conflict zone. In Sumy, Ukraine, a Russian drone strike on a funeral procession resulted in at least one death and nine injuries. Conversely, Russian officials reported a strike on a college dormitory in Starobilsk, Luhansk, claiming six to ten deaths, nearly 40 injuries, and 15 missing persons; Ukraine denied hitting civilian targets, asserting they struck a drone command unit. Further, Ukrainian drone attacks hit energy infrastructure in Novorossiysk, Yaroslavl, and Syzran, causing fires at oil refineries and disrupting fuel production. The Russian government has called an emergency UN Security Council meeting regarding the Starobilsk incident. Meanwhile, Ukraine confirmed that its forces have targeted 11 Russian oil facilities during May to reduce Moscow's war funding. Power outages were also reported in parts of occupied Zaporizhzhia and Kherson due to drone strikes on electrical infrastructure.