Drone Strikes Hit Civilian Areas in Kharkiv

Nine people were injured in a Russian drone attack on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv overnight on May 30, according to regional officials.

The assault struck residential neighborhoods, injuring two 16-year-olds and causing visible damage to buildings.

Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov confirmed the attack in a post on Telegram, adding that emergency services were dispatched to the affected areas immediately.

According to The Kyiv Independent, the drone strike comes just two weeks after tentative peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials in Istanbul.

While both sides managed to agree on a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange — completed between May 23 and 25 — the broader political negotiations produced little progress.

Russian President Vladimir Putin declined an invitation to meet face-to-face with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, choosing instead to send a delegation led by his aide, Vladimir Medinsky.

During the talks, Russia stuck to its long-standing demands, including Ukrainian recognition of Russian control over Crimea and parts of the Donbas region.

These terms remain unacceptable to Kyiv, which continues to insist on the restoration of its full territorial sovereignty.

A follow-up round of talks is scheduled for June 2.

But with no ceasefire agreement in place and Russia continuing its attacks, expectations remain low.

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov confirmed on May 28 that Kyiv is still waiting for Moscow to present a promised peace memorandum.