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Russia launched the largest single-day unmanned aerial barrage of the war on May 15, 2026, deploying 8,517 kamikaze drones alongside 55 missiles and 323 guided aerial bombs in a 24-hour period that left 1,150 Russian personnel dead, according to the General Staff of Ukraine.
The figures, released as part of the daily battlefield update on day 1,542 of Russia’s full-scale invasion, represent one of the most intense periods of air assault since the conflict began. Ukraine’s air defence forces intercepted 1,780 drones and 41 missiles during the same window.
Russian forces also carried out 2,884 shelling attacks, including 82 strikes using multiple launch rocket systems, and 95 airstrikes across multiple directions. In the Pokrovsk direction alone — one of the most active sectors of the front — Ukrainian defenders repelled 39 assault actions.
Overall, Russian battlefield losses over 24 hours included four tanks, 12 armored combat vehicles, 32 artillery systems, seven ground robotic systems, 185 vehicles, and one unit of special equipment, the General Staff reported.
Ukraine’s Defence Forces also struck two areas holding enemy personnel concentrations and one additional high-value target, the report said. No comment was immediately available from Russia’s Ministry of Defence.
The escalation comes amid stalled U.S.-brokered ceasefire talks. American envoys and Russian officials held discussions in Doha this week on a potential Black Sea ceasefire, but participants reported no breakthrough. President Trump separately met President Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14, where Xi warned that mishandling the Taiwan issue could trigger conflict between the United States and China — a development analysts linked to broader post-ceasefire uncertainty.
European capitals responded with renewed condemnation. The United Kingdom summoned Russia’s ambassador, France and Germany issued a joint statement, and the European Union held an emergency session on security assistance to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated calls for authorization to use long-range Western weapons on military targets inside Russia.
The battlefield toll continues to mount on both sides. The General Staff said Ukrainian forces repelled a total of 257 combat engagements across all front directions over the reporting period.
