Kyiv’s military administration said four people were killed and 23 wounded in the capital, including a child, after overnight attacks involving ballistic missiles and waves of Shahed drones.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said five emergency responders were killed in Kharkiv after they were hit by a second strike while battling a fire caused by an earlier attack. At least five other rescuers were wounded.

Authorities said powerful explosions were reported across Kyiv overnight, with civilian infrastructure heavily damaged. Several strikes hit residential areas in the city’s Shevchenkivskyi district, including a 25-story apartment building, while a market and grocery store also caught fire.

A nine-story residential building in the Obolonskyi district was also damaged after being directly hit.

Kyiv officials accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilian areas, while Moscow has continued to carry out long-range missile and drone attacks during the ongoing war.

The strikes also caused major damage at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Ukraine’s most important religious landmarks.

Officials said a major fire broke out at the historic monastic complex, while Metropolitan Epiphanius, head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, said the roof of the Dormition Cathedral was damaged.

The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, also known as the Monastery of the Caves, dates back to the 11th century and includes churches, monasteries and underground caves. It has long been considered a major religious and cultural center in Eastern Europe.

The latest attacks came as Russia and Ukraine remain locked in a war that has entered its fifth year, with Moscow continuing strikes against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

Trump’s call with Putin lasted nearly an hour, according to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, who said the US president emphasized the need to end hostilities and was prepared to encourage European allies and Kyiv toward that goal.

Ushakov said Putin argued that Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure would not alter the battlefield situation and said that if Zelensky wanted to meet, he should travel to Moscow.

The discussions also included Iran, with Trump saying an agreement with Tehran was close and that details could soon be made public, Ushakov said.

Zelensky said he had a “wonderful conversation” with Trump and thanked him for supporting Ukraine. He said the two leaders discussed steps that could help move toward peace and agreed to continue discussions during the G7 summit.

The diplomatic contacts came as fighting continued. Ukrainian drone attacks killed two people in Russia’s Oryol and Bryansk regions, according to local authorities. A separate drone strike hit fuel storage facilities in Russia’s Yaroslavl region, causing fires.

Zelensky said the Yaroslavl strike targeted an oil facility important to Russia’s reserves. Ukraine has increased attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, arguing that the sector supports Moscow’s war effort.

The calls took place as Trump prepared to travel to France for the G7 summit, where Ukraine is expected to be a major issue. Zelensky is scheduled to join discussions with world leaders.

The conflict has remained a challenge for Trump, who previously said he could end the war quickly but has since shifted focus toward broader diplomatic efforts.

Separately, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the United Kingdom detained a tanker suspected of being part of Russia’s “shadow fleet,” vessels accused of helping evade sanctions linked to the war.

British forces boarded the tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel in cooperation with French authorities. Starmer said the operation was aimed at increasing pressure on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

A neighbourhood around Lukianivska square in Kyiv has become a visible example of the damage caused by the continuing air war between Russia and Ukraine, with residents and local businesses attempting to continue daily routines among damaged buildings and reminders of repeated attacks.

The area, once known for busy streets, restaurants and commercial activity, has seen many buildings damaged by strikes. A nearby station and restaurant remain among the active parts of the neighbourhood, while a small market selling flowers and vegetables continues operating beneath damaged structures.

For some residents, the repeated attacks have added to fears already carried from other parts of Ukraine. Anastasiia Prymak, a 23-year-old product manager, moved to Kyiv from Nikopol two years ago after experiencing frequent bombardment there. She said recent attacks on Kyiv had brought back the same sense of insecurity.

Prymak described a drone strike on a nearby apartment building on 28 April. She said she initially thought she heard aircraft but realised that was unlikely because of the war. Looking outside, she saw an explosion on the roof of a building.She said the attacks had affected her mental health and that she had been diagnosed with severe anxiety disorder.

She described experiencing persistent anxiety and panic attacks.Prymak showed images from her apartment window showing a damaged building with flames coming from windows after a strike. She said that during one major attack her boyfriend took her to a shelter, where she prayed despite not being religious.

Following further strikes, she said she had considered leaving Kyiv for Lviv in western Ukraine. She described the damage around her neighbourhood as increasingly similar to scenes from destroyed areas of Ukraine and said she feared being seriously injured in an attack.The destruction in the area comes amid a broader escalation in long-range strikes between Russia and Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials have warned that Russia is increasing attacks on urban areas, while Russian officials have indicated plans for more extensive strikes.The intensifying missile threat has raised concerns about Ukraine’s air defence capabilities.

Ukrainian officials have sought additional missile interceptors, including systems such as Patriot air defence units, as the country continues attempts to protect major cities from aerial attacks.President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for increased support from European partners, including stronger air defence systems and long-range capabilities.

During meetings with leaders in London, he highlighted what he described as an urgent need to strengthen Ukraine’s ability to respond to missile and drone attacks.Despite the risks, some local businesses have returned.

Faina Polishchuk, who operates a flower stall near Lukianivska square, said many traders had come back, although customer numbers had declined.She said the latest major strike left many stallholders frightened and unwilling to return immediately. However, she added that selling flowers was her source of income and that she needed to continue working.Polishchuk said she watched the strike from her apartment window and felt the building shake.

She later went to a shelter, where another resident showed her images of the damage on a phone and told her that buildings were burning.She said she intended to remain in Kyiv despite the danger, though she acknowledged that worsening conditions could force her to leave for Vinnytsia, her original home city.

The neighbourhood’s damaged buildings and disrupted businesses reflect the wider challenge facing civilians in Kyiv as the war enters another phase of intensified aerial attacks. Residents continue adapting to air raid alarms, shelter routines and the uncertainty of whether another strike may follow.

Kharkiv regional governor Oleg Synegubov said Russian forces struck the city of Chuguiv overnight, killing four people, including a 22-year-old woman, and causing extensive damage to residential areas.“The enemy has hit the city of Chuguiv,” Synegubov wrote on Telegram, adding that the attack sparked fires, damaged at least 18 vehicles and shattered windows in multi-story apartment buildings.

Separately, Kharkiv Mayor Igor Terekhov said 10 people were wounded in strikes on the regional capital, one of Ukraine’s most heavily targeted cities because of its proximity to the Russian border.The latest attacks come amid a sustained escalation in aerial warfare between Russia and Ukraine.

Russian missile and drone strikes have intensified in recent months, while Kyiv has expanded its own long-range drone operations against targets deep inside Russian territory, saying those attacks are primarily aimed at military and energy infrastructure supporting Moscow’s war effort.

Kharkiv region has remained a focal point of the conflict, with repeated attacks on civilian and industrial facilities despite international calls for greater protection of non-combatants.According to United Nations estimates published in April, at least 15,850 civilians have been killed in areas under Ukrainian control since Russia’s invasion began in February 2022. The UN said more than 2,800 civilians have also been killed in Russian-controlled territories.

The organization reported that more than 44,800 people have been wounded across Ukrainian-controlled and Russian-occupied areas since the start of the war.

Neither Russia nor Ukraine has shown signs of easing military operations, with both sides continuing regular drone and missile attacks as fighting persists along multiple sectors of the front line.

The ministry said 25 Azerbaijani nationals were among the crews of the vessels struck in Taganrog Bay, adding that neither ship belonged to Azerbaijan.

Earlier, Ukraine said its drones had hit five vessels in the ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk and in nearby coastal waters under Russian control.

Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s drone forces, said the targeted ships included dry cargo vessels and a tanker allegedly involved in transporting military cargo, fuel and Ukrainian grain.

The attacks mark one of the deadliest incidents involving foreign civilian crew members in the conflict’s maritime zone this year.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) issued statements denouncing the strikes and expressing solidarity with Kuwait and Bahrain.

The GCC called the attacks an “unacceptable hostile policy,” while Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said the strikes represented a dangerous escalation threatening regional and international security.

Iran claimed responsibility for attacks on U.S. military assets in Kuwait and Bahrain, including facilities linked to the U.S. Fifth Fleet. Kuwaiti authorities said missile strikes caused significant damage at Kuwait International Airport, temporarily disrupting operations before flights resumed later in the day.

The statement by Kataeb Hezbollah security chief Abu Mujahid Al-Assaf comes amid heightened tensions following the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran in late February, a conflict that triggered a series of drone and rocket attacks by factions operating under the banner of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq against U.S. interests in the country.

Washington responded with strikes on facilities and bases linked to the groups, including Kataeb Hezbollah, killing dozens of fighters, according to the organization and regional media reports.

Since assuming office in mid-May, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi has pledged to ensure that weapons remain exclusively in the hands of the state, a longstanding objective of successive Iraqi governments seeking to strengthen state authority and limit the influence of armed non-state actors.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Al-Assaf said “militant action is today a collective duty, and we will carry it out on behalf of the brothers who have decided to abandon it,” signaling that the group intends to continue its activities even as some allied factions move toward closer cooperation with state institutions.

While several Iran-backed factions have reportedly agreed to operate under official structures, Kataeb Hezbollah remains among the groups rejecting discussions on disarmament under what it characterizes as U.S. pressure.

Al-Assaf indicated that the organization was prepared to coordinate with other factions that no longer wished to maintain independent arsenals. He said Kataeb Hezbollah could supervise the transfer and storage of weapons and receive specialized systems, including cruise missiles, arguing that state agencies lacked personnel with the necessary expertise to manage such equipment.

The group has consistently linked any discussion of its weapons to the continued presence of foreign troops in Iraq. Kataeb Hezbollah maintains that it will not consider disarmament while international forces remain deployed in Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region as part of the U.S.-led coalition established in 2014 to combat Islamic State militants.

The coalition is scheduled to conclude its mission in the Kurdistan region by September, a timeline that has become a key reference point in Iraq’s debate over the future role of armed factions and the country’s security architecture.

Speaking to reporters during a visit to India, Rubio said the latest attacks underscored the urgency of finding a path toward ending the conflict, following a phone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

“Every time you see these big strikes from one side or the other, it’s a reminder of why this is a terrible war,” Rubio said, adding that Washington remained willing to assist diplomatic efforts whenever an opportunity for progress emerged.

His remarks came after Russia launched a major attack on Kyiv and days after Moscow fired large numbers of drones and missiles at targets across Ukraine, attacks that Ukrainian authorities said killed at least four people over the weekend.

The renewed bombardment reflected a continuing escalation in hostilities as both sides intensify military operations more than four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russia said on Monday it was prepared to carry out additional strikes against Kyiv, including what it described as the Ukrainian government’s “decision-making centers,” signaling that further attacks on the capital could follow.

The phone call between Rubio and Lavrov highlighted the limited but ongoing diplomatic contacts between the two countries. According to Russia’s foreign ministry, Lavrov urged the United States to remove diplomatic personnel from its embassy in Kyiv amid security concerns.

Rubio said Moscow had not singled out the United States and had instead issued a broader warning to foreign diplomatic missions operating in the Ukrainian capital.

“It was a notice sent to all the embassies,” Rubio told reporters.

The comments suggest Washington continues to balance support for Ukraine with efforts to preserve diplomatic communication with Moscow, even as prospects for a negotiated settlement remain uncertain and battlefield conditions continue to deteriorate.

The latest exchange between the two senior diplomats comes as the United States seeks to maintain engagement with both Kyiv and Moscow while monitoring the security risks posed by intensified Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s major cities.

The renewed offensive comes as diplomatic efforts involving the United States and Iran continue in parallel to end a wider regional conflict that has drawn in multiple fronts across the Middle East, including the Israel-Hezbollah confrontation along the Lebanese border.

In a video statement, Netanyahu said he had directed the Israeli military to accelerate operations against the Iran-backed militant group, citing continued drone attacks on Israeli positions.

“I have ordered an even greater acceleration of our operations,” Netanyahu said, adding that Israel would intensify its military campaign and increase firepower against Hezbollah.

The Israeli military subsequently launched a series of strikes across the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon and targeted multiple locations in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency.

Lebanese media reported that at least three people were killed in separate strikes involving two vehicles and a motorcycle. Additional airstrikes were reported near the coastal city of Tyre and in other areas of southern Lebanon.

The escalation followed evacuation warnings issued by the Israeli military for residents in 10 villages in southern Lebanon. Israeli authorities accused Hezbollah of violating the April 17 ceasefire agreement through continued attacks on Israeli forces and territory.

Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee said operations were being conducted in response to Hezbollah activities that breached the truce.
Hezbollah said it had carried out several drone attacks against Israeli military positions on Monday and later announced strikes targeting three military barracks and an additional post in northern Israel. The group described its actions as retaliation for Israeli violations of the ceasefire.

Despite the agreement reached in April, hostilities have persisted almost daily, underscoring the fragility of efforts to stabilize the Israel-Lebanon frontier.
The violence prompted visible displacement in parts of Lebanon. Residents were seen leaving neighborhoods in Beirut’s southern suburbs, a stronghold of Hezbollah, following warnings of possible expanded military action.

According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli operations since the outbreak of fighting in early March have killed more than 3,100 people. Israel said one soldier was killed in southern Lebanon on Sunday, bringing the number of Israeli military fatalities in the conflict to 23. One civilian contractor has also been reported killed.

Pressure for a broader military campaign has intensified within Israel’s governing coalition. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for harsher retaliatory measures against Hezbollah drone attacks, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir advocated a return to intensive warfare and greater territorial control in southern Lebanon.

Israeli forces currently maintain positions inside a security zone extending several kilometers into Lebanese territory. The military has identified the Litani River as a strategic boundary beyond which Hezbollah fighters should not operate.

Amid the escalation, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed his demand for a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, describing the issue as non-negotiable. He also defended ongoing indirect contacts between Lebanese and Israeli officials.

The two countries, which do not maintain diplomatic relations, are scheduled to participate in talks in Washington on June 2 and 3, preceded by military-level discussions at the Pentagon later this week.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem reiterated opposition to direct negotiations with Israel and rejected calls for the group to disarm, signaling that key obstacles to a durable settlement remain unresolved.

The latest escalation highlights the challenge facing regional mediators seeking to contain multiple interconnected conflicts across the Middle East as negotiations over Iran, maritime security and broader ceasefire arrangements continue.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resume full-scale military operations in Lebanon, arguing that current measures were insufficient to counter Hezbollah attacks.

“It is time for the prime minister to take a firm stand with Donald Trump and tell him that Israel is returning to war in Lebanon,” Ben Gvir wrote on social media, calling for expanded military action and tougher economic measures against Lebanon.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also advocated a stronger response, specifically urging strikes on Beirut following Hezbollah drone attacks targeting Israeli troops and positions near the border.

“There is an urgent need to put an end to the threat posed by Hezbollah’s explosive drones,” Smotrich said on Telegram, proposing a significantly more forceful military response against targets in the Lebanese capital
Smotrich added that he had approved a special defense allocation of approximately 2 billion shekels ($692 million) to support the development of counter-drone capabilities for Israel’s security establishment.

The comments from the two ministers came after the Israeli military announced the death of another soldier in southern Lebanon, bringing the number of Israeli military fatalities since the conflict began to 23. One civilian contractor has also been killed, according to Israeli authorities.

The current round of fighting began on March 2 when Hezbollah entered the broader regional conflict following the killing of Iran’s supreme leader in joint U.S.-Israeli strikes, according to the report.

Hezbollah subsequently launched rocket attacks into Israel, prompting Israeli retaliatory operations that later expanded into a ground offensive in southern Lebanon.

Israeli forces are currently operating within a self-declared security zone extending roughly 10 kilometers inside Lebanese territory along parts of the southern border. At the same time, Israel has continued conducting airstrikes deeper inside Lebanon despite a ceasefire agreement that took effect on April 17.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry says the conflict has killed at least 3,123 people in the country since March, although official figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

The growing pressure from coalition hardliners reflects increasing frustration within Israeli political circles over the effectiveness of the ceasefire. Opposition leader Yair Lapid described the truce as ineffective, arguing that continued attacks on northern Israel undermine its credibility.

“Either there is a ceasefire or we respond with disproportionate force to every attack against us,” Lapid told reporters.

The calls for escalation come as Israel and Lebanon continue participating in U.S.-mediated negotiations aimed at reducing hostilities and addressing longstanding security disputes. The two sides are expected to hold a fourth round of talks in early June.

However, prospects for a durable settlement remain uncertain. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has opposed the negotiations and rejected calls to disarm the group, while Hezbollah continues attacks on Israeli military targets in southern Lebanon and across the border.

The ministers’ statements underscore the growing tensions within Israel over how to handle the conflict, as military operations, diplomatic initiatives and domestic political pressures increasingly intersect in one of the region’s most volatile confrontations.