Russians tire of war as Ukraine’s drones hit Moscow : State of the World from NPR : NPR

A Ukrainian long-range drone launched by servicemen of the 9th Kairos Battalion of the “Madyar’s Birds” from an undisclosed location in Ukraine, on May 16, 2026, hours before Moscow reported the major attack amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Genya Savilov/AFP via Getty

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Genya Savilov/AFP via Getty

It has been more than four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It is a war that has been grinding on without major changes in battle lines, but the conflict may have reached a turning point. There are signs that Russians are growing weary of the military operation and Ukraine has improved its drone technology, hitting deeper inside Russian territory. We hear from NPR reporters in Kyiv and Moscow.