Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (GUR) warned on Sunday that Russia is preparing to carry out a “combat training” launch of an RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile, in what Kyiv sees as an attempt to intimidate both Ukraine and its Western allies.
According to the GUR, the launch is scheduled for the night of May 19 and would be conducted from a mobile ground-based platform operated by the 433rd Regiment of the 42nd Division within the 31st Army of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces. The missile is reportedly equipped with a training warhead and will be launched near the village of Svobodny, in Russia’s Sverdlovsk region, in the Urals.
“Moscow aims to openly pressure Ukraine as well as EU and NATO member states with this move,” the agency stated on its official Telegram channel.
In response, European Union spokesperson Anouar El Anouni condemned the escalation, saying, “Russia is trying to bomb Ukraine into submission. It will not succeed,” in a message posted on social media.
El Anouni also highlighted that Russia launched its largest drone attack since the full-scale invasion began, causing civilian casualties. “A total and unconditional ceasefire is crucial. We are continuing to increase pressure on Russia, including with new sanctions,” he said.
EU foreign ministers are expected to approve a 17th package of sanctions against Moscow in the coming days, while preparations for an 18th set of measures are already underway.
During the overnight offensive, Russian forces struck three Ukrainian regions — Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk — deploying a record 273 suicide drones, including Iranian-made Shahed drones and decoy unmanned aerial vehicles, according to a morning update from Ukraine’s Air Force.
Ukrainian air defenses, supported by electronic warfare units and mobile response teams, managed to shoot down 88 drones and neutralize 128 decoy devices designed to overwhelm air defense systems. In the Kyiv region, at least one person was killed and three others injured.
The previous record for drone attacks was set on February 23, when 267 Russian UAVs were reported over Ukrainian territory, according to the Ukrainian newspaper Ukrainska Pravda.
Meanwhile, Ukraine and Russia have resumed direct diplomatic engagement, holding their first face-to-face talks since 2022 in Istanbul in a renewed effort to achieve a ceasefire.
In the United States, former President Donald Trump announced he would speak by phone with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday. “It’s time to stop the bloodshed,” he posted on Truth Social.
The Vatican also continues to play a mediating role. During the funeral of Pope Francis on April 26, it hosted an impromptu summit between Trump and Zelensky in St. Peter’s Basilica — a meeting that helped ease tensions following their contentious February encounter at the White House.
