Russian missiles kill 10 in Ukraine as Zelensky claims hits on shadow fleet

Russian drone and missile assaults across Ukraine have left 10 people dead and at least 76 injured over the past 24 hours, according to Ukrainian officials tracking casualties in five separate regions. The continued bombardment underscores Moscow’s persistent aerial campaign against Ukrainian civilian and military infrastructure.

In a separate development, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Ukrainian forces struck three Russian oil tankers, a cruise-missile carrying warship, and a patrol boat at two Russian ports. Zelensky characterized the targeted tankers as part of Russia’s “shadow fleet,” vessels used to circumvent Western sanctions tied to the 2022 invasion. Specifics on damage to the struck vessels remain undisclosed.

The Ukrainian air force reported Russia launched 269 drones overnight, with air defenses successfully eliminating or jamming 249 of them. The strikes resulted in 19 direct drone impacts and one ballistic missile hit across 15 locations, plus additional damage from falling debris.

Regional casualties break down as follows: three killed in Kherson, two each in Odesa, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia, and one in Sumy. The persistent attacks have become routine across Ukrainian population centers.

Meanwhile, Russia’s military claimed Ukraine fired at least 334 drones overnight, with the northwestern Leningrad region absorbing heavy targeting. Ukrainian operations against Russian energy infrastructure have intensified in recent weeks, with Kyiv asserting these strikes have eliminated billions in export revenue.

On Sunday, Zelensky reported significant damage to the Primorsk terminal on the Baltic Sea near Finland, alongside hits on an oil tanker and patrol boat. A third vessel struck there was identified as a Karakurt-class corvette equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles. Additionally, Ukrainian drones hit two more tankers near the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk’s entrance.

Russian officials have downplayed the severity of such strikes, though Kremlin concern appears genuine. The government recently scaled back its annual Victory Day military parade on May 9, citing alleged “terrorist threats” from Ukrainian drones. This marks a telling indicator of Kyiv’s deepening capacity to strike targets within Russian territory, a capability that has grown substantially as the conflict enters its fifth year.