Russia–Ukraine War (May 18): Russia Uses New Laser Weapons in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin gives a speech as he hosts Russia's medal-winning athletes of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games and members of the country's Paralympic team at the Kremlin in Moscow, on April 26, 2022. Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP via Getty Images

The latest on the Russia–Ukraine crisis, May 18. Click here for updates from May 17.

Russia Uses New Laser Weapons in Ukraine

Russia on Wednesday said it was using a new generation of powerful laser weapons in Ukraine to burn up drones, deploying some of Moscow’s secret weapons to counter a flood of Western arms supplied to its former Soviet neighbor.

President Vladimir Putin in 2018 unveiled an array of new weapons including a new intercontinental ballistic missile, underwater nuclear drones, a supersonic weapon, and a new laser weapon.