Russian drones kill 5, injure 62 across Ukraine, hitting homes, church and cyclist in Kherson

Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least five people and injured at least 62 others over the past day, local authorities reported early on May 23, with some of the heaviest attacks recorded in Kherson Oblast as Russian forces continued targeting civilian infrastructure and residential areas across the front-line region.

Located on the western bank of the Dnipro River near the front line in southern Ukraine, Kherson city and nearby communities face regular artillery and drone attacks since Ukrainian forces liberated the city in November 2022. Residents have described Russian FPV drone strikes that hunt and target pedestrians, cyclists, civilian vehicles, and public transport as a "human safari."

Overall, Russia launched 124 drones overnight, Ukraine's Air Force said on the morning of May 23, most of them Shahed-type deep-strike drones. Ukrainian air defense systems downed or suppressed 102 of them, the Air Force said.

The heaviest casualties were reported in eastern and  southern Ukraine — including in Kherson Oblast, where one person was killed and 20 others injured in Russian attacks, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said.

Russian strikes damanged at least eight private houses, a church, and several civilian vehicles. A 69-year-old cyclist was injured in an FPV drone strike in the village of Kostyrka, suffering shrapnel wounds and a concussion, regional authorities said.

To the north, in Kharkiv Oblast, Russian attacks killed three people and injured five others over the past day, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. Russian forces attacked Kharkiv city and 17 settlements across the oblast using various types of drones, including Geran-2, Lancet, Molniya, and FPV drones.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, also in southern Ukraine, one man was killed and two others injured in Russian attacks on Zaporizhzhia and Polohy districts, Governor Ivan Fedorov said. Russian forces launched 819 strikes against 45 settlements across the oblast over the past day.

Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, in central Ukraine, came under repeated Russian artillery and drone attacks, with 16 people injured across four districts, Governor Oleksandr Hanzha  said. Russian forces attacked the oblast nearly 40 times using drones and artillery.

In Sumy Oblast, 12 civilians were injured in Russian strikes over the past day, local authorities said. Russian forces carried out nearly 100 attacks against 41 settlements in the oblast, with the heaviest shelling recorded in Sumy, Shostka, and Konotop districts. The attacks damaged private houses, vehicles, and civilian infrastructure.

In Donetsk Oblast, seven civilians were injured in Russian attacks, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. Four people were injured in Kramatorsk, two in Malotaranivka, and one in Druzhkivka. Russian attacks also damaged an administrative building, apartment buildings, private houses, and civilian vehicles.