Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv killed two, injured eight people

Russia launched a deadly overnight missile and drone attack on Kyiv in the early hours of May 7, killing two people and injuring at least eight others, including four children, according to Ukrainian officials.

The attack struck multiple residential areas across the capital, with debris from Russian drones hitting homes in the Dnipro, Shevchenkivskyi, and Sviatoshynskyi districts.

In Shevchenkivskyi, emergency responders recovered the bodies of two victims after a drone strike on a five-story apartment building. In Sviatoshynskyi, one adult and four children were wounded. A drone also slammed into a high-rise building in the Dnipro district, destroying its 29th and 30th floors.

Three children sustained serious burns and were hospitalized, along with one other injured adult. Emergency crews were deployed immediately to the impact zones.

The first explosions were heard around 1 a.m. local time, with further blasts reported around 4:30 a.m. as Ukraine’s Air Force issued alerts for ongoing missile and drone threats. In addition to the residential damage, a supermarket, a Nova Poshta branch (postal service), and several cars were also hit.

This latest attack comes just ahead of Russia’s Victory Day celebrations on May 7, an event President Vladimir Putin is using to showcase international support, with 29 foreign leaders expected in Moscow. It also follows a May 4 drone strike on Kyiv that injured 11 people and damaged a shopping mall.

While Putin has proposed a three-day ceasefire from May 7 to 9 in honor of the holiday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected the idea, dismissing it as a "theatrical performance" aimed at softening Russia’s image abroad.

In recent weeks, Russia has sharply escalated its attacks on Ukrainian cities, with deadly strikes reported in Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Kyiv.

Ukrainian drone strikes targeted two Russian defense plants

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) launched a wave of long-range drone strikes overnight on May 7, targeting key sites in Russia’s defense industry and causing widespread disruption to air traffic in and around Moscow.

One of the strikes hit the Bazalt plant in Krasnoarmeysk, Moscow Oblast—Russia’s main producer of munitions and military equipment for all branches of its armed forces. Local residents reported hearing multiple explosions followed by a large fire at the site.

Another simultaneous strike targeted the Splav plant in Tula, located about 110 miles south of Moscow. Splav is considered Russia’s sole manufacturer of multiple-launch rocket systems and their ammunition. Footage from the scene appeared to show thick smoke and flames engulfing part of the facility.

In response to the attacks, Russian authorities reportedly activated heightened security protocols, including "Plan Cover"—a system that halts civilian air traffic during emergency situations. Airports across the Moscow region were forced to temporarily shut down, stranding thousands of passengers and causing hundreds of flight cancellations and diversions.

Russian media sources reported that approximately 350 flights were affected and more than 60,000 travelers faced delays or rerouted journeys. Some passengers were stuck on planes for hours without food or clear communication.

These events come just days ahead of Russia’s annual Victory Day celebrations on May 9, a key political and military showcase for President Vladimir Putin.

In a separate development, Ukrainian drones reportedly struck the Optic Fiber Systems plant in Saransk, in the Republic of Mordovia. The facility, which produces critical components for Russian military drones, suffered serious damage, according to Ukrainian security officials. A nearby plant, Saranskkabel, was also affected, with residents reporting loud explosions early in the morning.

Russian authorities have imposed a media blackout on footage from the affected sites, barring the publication of any images or videos of the aftermath.

Russians dropped bombs on a village in Donetsk Oblast, killing two women

Russian forces carried out an aerial bombing on the village of Oleksandro-Kalynove in Donetsk Oblast on May 7, killing two women and damaging multiple homes, according to local officials.

The strike targeted the Illinivka hromada—an administrative unit that includes several villages and nearby territories—located near the front lines of Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.

Vadym Filashkin, head of the Donetsk Oblast Military Administration, confirmed the attack on Telegram, stating: “This morning, the Russians dropped two aerial bombs on the village, killing two women, aged 47 and 67.”

In addition to the casualties, six homes were reportedly damaged in the attack. Filashkin renewed his call for residents living in frontline communities to evacuate while it is still possible, emphasizing the growing danger to civilians in the region.

30-km demilitarized buffer zone proposed by Ukraine is the main obstacle to a ceasefire for Putin - Kellog

Ukraine has proposed the creation of a jointly controlled demilitarized zone along the front lines of its war with Russia, U.S. special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg said during a May 6 interview with Fox News.

According to Kellogg, the idea involves both sides pulling their forces back by 15 kilometers, establishing a 30-kilometer buffer zone to be monitored by neutral international observers. The plan would be paired with a ceasefire "in place," meaning both Russian and Ukrainian troops would remain in control of the territory they currently hold.

The proposal diverges sharply from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s stated demands, which include the full withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the occupied regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson—territories Russia illegally annexed in 2022 but does not fully control.

Kellogg suggested that a ceasefire deal is within reach but is being blocked by Moscow’s refusal to engage.

"I think we're close," Kellogg said. "The one man who can deliver it, I believe, is President (Donald) Trump—as long as Putin agrees. And that’s probably our main obstacle right now: the Russian president not agreeing."

In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied receiving any official proposal from Kyiv, according to the Russian state news agency TASS.

Moscow has so far rejected a separate 30-day ceasefire proposal backed by the U.S. and accepted by Ukraine on March 11. Putin’s team continues to insist on sweeping demands as a precondition for negotiations.

Kellogg expressed hope that even a short-term ceasefire could pave the way toward a longer-lasting peace. "You get to a 30-day ceasefire—it’ll get extended. And as a military guy, I’ll tell you, it’s very hard to restart a conflict once the guns go silent," he said.

Since returning to office in January 2025, President Trump has yet to authorize additional U.S. military aid for Ukraine. His campaign promise to end the war “within 24 hours” has so far gone unfulfilled after more than 100 days in office.

Despite growing frustration over Russia’s refusal to de-escalate, the Trump administration has not introduced any new sanctions or other forms of pressure on the Kremlin. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Trump have both warned that the U.S. may withdraw from mediation efforts entirely if talks continue to stall.