{"id":1935,"date":"2026-05-13T12:49:28","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T12:49:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/battle-for-leverage-sees-massive-blazes-across-russia-and-eight-dead-in-ukraine-as-war-explodes\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T12:49:28","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T12:49:28","slug":"battle-for-leverage-sees-massive-blazes-across-russia-and-eight-dead-in-ukraine-as-war-explodes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/battle-for-leverage-sees-massive-blazes-across-russia-and-eight-dead-in-ukraine-as-war-explodes\/","title":{"rendered":"Battle for leverage sees massive blazes across Russia and eight dead in Ukraine as war explodes"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_a88635\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">Kremlin war chiefs launch horror drone onslaught night against Ukrainian civilians as Kyiv orders strike-back of hundreds of weapons in revenge, setting off blazes across Russia<\/h2>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37150342\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine, hit by Russia's drones\" loading=\"eager\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2_Fatalities-and-injuries-reported-after-Russian-strikes-on-Dnipropetrovsk.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Deadly Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Deadly Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine<cite aria-label=\"Image: Anadolu via Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Eight people have been killed in Ukraine and massive blazes across <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/russia\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Russia<\/a> have been set off in major cross-border attacks. The onslaught broke out as both sides wrestle for leverage during President <!-- --><a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/donald-trump\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Donald Trump<\/a>\u2019s key trip to Beijing and amid a fragile Iranian ceasefire.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Russian drones smashed into <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/ukraine\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Ukraine<\/a>\u2019s Dnipropetrovsk region overnight in strikes targeting homes, infrastructure and industry with 139 attack drones. According to Ukraine\u2019s Air Force <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/russian-warship-shadowed-whole-month-37119006\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">Russia <\/a>launched 139 drones overnight, including Shahed drones, decoys and other unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37150340\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37150340\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Kremlin drones hit Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_Fatalities-and-injuries-reported-after-Russian-strikes-on-Dnipropetrovsk.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Dnipropetrovsk under fire by Russia\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Dnipropetrovsk under fire by Russia<cite aria-label=\"Image: Anadolu via Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_4dfcff\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\"><a target=\"_blank\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" data-tmdatatrack=\"read-more\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37144324\" data-tmdatatrack-source=\"editorial\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/world-news\/donald-trump-iran-attacks-ai-37144324\" tabindex=\"0\">UK faces threat of Iran AI &#8216;grey zone&#8217; warfare as Trump weighs up launching fresh attacks<\/a><\/span><\/span><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_4dfcff\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\"><a target=\"_blank\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" data-tmdatatrack=\"read-more\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37141351\" data-tmdatatrack-source=\"editorial\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/world-news\/donald-trump-iran-war-ceasefire-37141351\" tabindex=\"0\">Fresh fears Iran conflict will explode as Trump slams Iran counter-offer<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The Kremlin strikes were launched from multiple directions, from places situated within both Russia and occupied Crimea. Overnight exchanges were followed up by Russia breaking with the norm and launching a massive follow-up attack of around 200 drones.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Ukraine\u2019s capital was believed to be one of the targets of this morning\u2019s post 9am drone wave as explosions were heard south of Kyiv. Ukrainian president <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/volodymyr-zelensky\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Volodymyr Zelensky<\/a> warned of possible waves of drone attacks throughout the day on Wednesday as Russia ramps up its daylight assaults.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37150343\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37150343\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Donald Trump, US leader, prepares for Beijing\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_TOPSHOT-US-POLITICS-TRUMP-CHINA.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"US President Donald Trump before Beijing trip\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">US President Donald Trump before Beijing trip<cite aria-label=\"Image: AFP via Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: AFP via Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He said: \u201cRussia continues its strikes and is doing so brazenly \u2013 deliberately targeting our railway infrastructure and civilian sites in our cities.\u201d In reply Ukraine opened fire on Russia\u2019s industrial base, setting off fires in multiple oil and gas sites with as many as 286 explosive drones.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">One of Russia\u2019s largest gas facilities the Astrakhan Gas Processing Plant was set ablaze after it was struck. Further north, a major blaze erupted at the Nurlino oil pipeline near Ufa in Bashkortostan after another strike.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37150351\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37150351\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.44\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"President Volodymyr Zelensky, wartime leader\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1778676568_635_0_The-8th-European-Political-Community-Summit-in-Armenia-Yerevan-04-May-2026.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Ukraine&#8217;s President Volodymyr Zelensky<cite aria-label=\"Image: HAYK BAGHDASARYAN\/EPA\/Shutterstock\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: HAYK BAGHDASARYAN\/EPA\/Shutterstock)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">More blazes were set off in strikes throughout the country. It comes as both sides try to get leverage amid attempts to settle on a ceasefire deal and President Trump\u2019s trip to <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/China\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">China<\/a>, with signs that Russian leader <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/vladimir-putin\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Vladimir Putin<\/a> may now be under immense pressure at home to stop the war.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Kremlin voices are already appearing to be more open to the idea of a ceasefire deal as Russian leader Vladimir Putin is under immense pressure to stop the war. He has lost well over a million troops to death or injury on the frontline.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37150339\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37150339\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Ukraine on fire after Russian strikes\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1778676568_684_0_Fatalities-and-injuries-reported-after-Russian-strikes-on-Dnipropetrovsk.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Firefighters battle Ukraine blazes\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Firefighters battle Ukraine blazes<cite aria-label=\"Image: Anadolu via Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">One Wednesday Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said Russia would welcome further US mediation efforts.He even said Putin was prepared to meet his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in person once the peace process was finalised.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He added: &#8220;And for that finalisation, in order to put a full stop to it, a great \u200cdeal of preparatory work still needs to be done.\u201d Peskov also repeated claims from Putin on the war coming to an end and said a certain amount of trilateral work with Ukraine and the United States had been done towards winding down the war, now in its fifth year.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37150335\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37150335\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Odesa under fire again from Russia\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1778676568_399_0_UKRAINE-RUSSIA-CONFLICT-WAR.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Aftermath of Kremlin attack on Odesa\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Aftermath of Kremlin attack on Odesa<cite aria-label=\"Image: AFP via Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: AFP via Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He said: &#8220;This accumulated groundwork in terms of the peace process allows us to say that the completion is indeed approaching.\u201d War in Ukraine has raged since February 2022 when the Russians launched their full-scale invasion from the north in <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/Belarus\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Belarus<\/a> and over the eastern border.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Russian troops stand accused of having committed thousands of war crimes against Ukrainian civilians, including rape, torture, abduction and murder.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/world-news\/battle-leverage-sees-massive-blazes-37149851\" target=\"_blank\">Source link<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kremlin war chiefs launch horror drone onslaught night against Ukrainian civilians as Kyiv orders strike-back<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1936,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1778676568_2_Fatalities-and-injuries-reported-after-Russian-strikes-on-Dnipropetrovsk.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1935","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1935"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1935\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1936"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1935"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1935"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1935"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}