Russia Unleashes 216-Drone Barrage as Ceasefire Expires — Kyiv Hit, 1 Killed, 6 Injured; Zelensky Warns of 'Mirror Response'

Hours after the US-brokered three-day ceasefire (May 9–11) expired at midnight, Russia launched one of its largest drone barrages of 2026: 216 Shahed-type loitering munitions were fired toward Ukraine overnight on May 11–12. Ukraine's Air Force reported intercepting 192 of the 216 drones, but debris and the drones that broke through caused significant damage. In Kyiv, debris from a downed drone struck the roof of a 16-storey residential building in the Obolon district, sparking a fire. At least 1 person was killed and at least 6 were injured across Ukraine in the strike. Targets included energy infrastructure, apartment buildings, a kindergarten, and a civilian locomotive. President Zelensky reacted with a stark statement: 'Russia itself chose to end the partial silence that had lasted for several days.' Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha separately stated that Ukraine had proposed extending the ceasefire through diplomatic channels but that Moscow had chosen escalation instead. The barrage demonstrated Russia's immediate return to wartime operational tempo following the expiration of the ceasefire, contradicting any notion that Russia had used the truce to pursue genuine de-escalation. Day 1,538 of the full-scale invasion.