Ukrainian military  shot down 29 out of 30 missiles in Russian May 18 attacks

Ukraine's air defense successfully shot down 29 Russian missiles, two kamikaze drones, and two reconnaissance drones on May 17-18, according to the General Staff.

According to the Ukrainian military, Russia launched several missile attacks against Ukraine from 9:00 p.m. on May 17 until 5:30 a.m. on May 18.

In total, Russia launched 22 long-range X-101/X-555 missiles from two Tu-160s and eight Tu-95s.

The General Staff wrote that six Kalibr cruises missiles were launched from the Black Sea, and two Iskander missiles were launched from ground-based operational-tactical missile systems.

Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, was once again the main target of the attacks. According to Andriy Nebytov, the head of the Kyiv Oblast police, no significant damage was recorded from falling missile debris, nor were there any casualties.

However, Ukraine's Southern Command reported that one person was killed, and two others were wounded following Russian missile strikes in Odesa Oblast.

Natalia Humeniuk, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Southern Command, said on national television that an industrial facility on the outskirts of Odesa was hit, and the two injured people were guards working there.

An unspecified infrastructure object was also damaged in Khmelnytskyi Oblast, according to the Khmelnytskyi Oblast Military Administration. There were no casualties.

The previous mass attack came on May 16, during which Ukrainian air defense successfully shot down 25 Russian missiles targeting Ukraine overnight, including six Kinzhal ballistic missiles.

However, Russia was able to damage the Patriot air defense system slightly, CNN reported on May 16.

U.S. officials do not believe the Patriot air defense system must be removed from the battlefield for repairs, CNN followed up on May 17, quoting undisclosed U.S. officials.

The enemy is making some progress in Bakhmut

Fierce battles continue in Bakhmut, and the enemy is making some progress. However, Ukrainian military forces continue to hold their defense.

This was reported by the Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Hanna Maliar.

"In the Bakhmut direction now: almost 20 square kilometers, liberated in the suburbs in recent days, have not been lost. We are moving on. We have made progress in some areas. In Bakhmut itself, fierce battles are taking place. The enemy is making some progress," she wrote.

Hanna Maliar emphasized that "everything that can be done in the military sense in this situation is done by our command and soldiers."

"They do it professionally and to the best of their ability," she assured.

Russian attacks on Donetsk, and Kherson oblasts kill 4 people over past 24 hours

Russian attacks on Donetsk and Kherson oblasts killed four people over the past 24 hours, local governors reported on May 18.

Kherson Oblast Governor Oleksandr Prokudin wrote that three people were killed, one of whom was a child, while eight others sustained injuries due to Russian shelling. One of the injured was also a child.

Russian forces shelled Kherson Oblast 90 times, firing 529 shells from heavy artillery, Grads, tanks, drones, and aviation. The city of Kherson was shelled three times.

One person was killed and another injured in Kostiantynivka, according to Donetsk Oblast Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko.

Two people were injured in the village of Katerynivka and another in the village of Umanske.

Additionally, Kyrylenko wrote that the body of a child who died during the Russian occupation was exhumed in the village of Tetyanivka.

A total of 1,521 people have been killed in Donetsk Oblast since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, and an additional 3,543 people have been injured.

However, these numbers do not include the casualty rates in occupied Volnovakha and Mariupol, as they are currently impossible to calculate. The actual casualty numbers are much higher.