According to a report by Reuters on May 18, the Ukrainian government said on the same day that the Russian side launched a large-scale drone attack on targets in Ukraine, and stated that this was the largest drone attack launched by Russia since the outbreak of the conflict in 2022. The Ukrainian Air Force said that as of 8 a.m. local time, Russia had launched 273 drones, mainly targeting the Kiev region in central Ukraine and the Dnepropetrovsk and Donetsk regions in the east of the country. Reuters said that on the 16th, Russia and Ukraine held their first direct talks in three years, but failed to reach a temporary cease-fire. US President Trump said on the 17th that he will speak on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky on the 19th. The report said that at the end of the night, the Ukrainian government issued an air strike warning to Kyiv and surrounding regions and eastern Ukraine for 9 hours until it was lifted at around 9 a.m. local time. RIA Novosti said that on the morning of the 18th, air strike alerts were issued in Ukraine's Chernihiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions. Also, according to TASS, in the past 24 hours, Ukraine has launched more than 40 drones to attack the Belgorod region.

According to a report by Reuters on May 18, the Ukrainian government said on the same day that the Russian side launched a large-scale drone attack on targets in Ukraine, and stated that this was the largest drone attack launched by Russia since the outbreak of the conflict in 2022. The Ukrainian Air Force said that as of 8 a.m. local time, Russia had launched 273 drones, mainly targeting the Kiev region in central Ukraine and the Dnepropetrovsk and Donetsk regions in the east of the country. Reuters said that on the 16th, Russia and Ukraine held their first direct talks in three years, but failed to reach a temporary cease-fire. US President Trump said on the 17th that he will speak on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky on the 19th. The report said that at the end of the night, the Ukrainian government issued an air strike warning to Kyiv and surrounding regions and eastern Ukraine for 9 hours until it was lifted at around 9 a.m. local time. RIA Novosti said that on the morning of the 18th, air strike alerts were issued in Ukraine's Chernihiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions. Also, according to TASS, in the past 24 hours, Ukraine has launched more than 40 drones to attack the Belgorod region.