Czech news in brief for May 24: Sunday's top afternoon headlines

Good afternoon, this is your Sunday news roundup. We start with Czech diplomacy condemning overnight Russian strikes on Kyiv, which hit residential areas and damaged Ukraine’s foreign ministry building as part of a wider wave of missile and drone attacks. In other news, Czech authorities have issued a wildfire warning for parts of central and northwestern Czechia amid continued dry and unusually warm weather.

Russia’s overnight attacks on Kyiv using ballistic and hypersonic missiles and hundreds of drones have drawn a strong reaction from Czech diplomacy, which expressed solidarity with Ukraine after strikes damaged the historic building of the country’s foreign ministry.

What happened in Kyiv: The attacks, which Ukrainian authorities say killed at least four people and injured dozens, also hit residential areas, schools and infrastructure across Kyiv and other regions. Ukraine said it intercepted most incoming drones and missiles, while Poland briefly activated its air force in response to the risk of spillover.

Czech response: "Russia’s overnight attacks struck Kyiv, and explosions also damaged the historic building of Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs," wrote the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Czech diplomacy expresses solidarity with our Ukrainian colleagues and admiration for their endurance and resilience."

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute has issued a warning for increased wildfire risk in central and northwestern parts of Czechia due to prolonged dry and warm weather. The alert, issued on Sunday, covers Prague and surrounding regions as well as areas extending toward Žatec, Česká Lípa and Mnichovo Hradiště.

What to avoid: Authorities are urging the public to avoid open fires, burning vegetation and careless disposal of cigarettes, as dry conditions are expected to persist with little rainfall in the coming days. The warning follows Czechia’s first tropical day of the year, with temperatures above 30 degrees recorded across parts of the country.

Around 6,000 people gathered in central Brno on Sunday to protest the Sudeten German congress, being held in Czechia for the first time. Former President Miloš Zeman, Communist leader Kateřina Konečná, and other nationalist and opposition figures addressed the crowd, criticizing the event and defending the Beneš decrees and postwar expulsions of ethnic Germans.

What happened: Protesters marched through the city center before gathering at Dominican Square, where several participants required medical treatment due to heat and dehydration. The congress has drawn both official support and public backlash over its historical and political symbolism.

Twenty-five Czech students were taken to hospital after suddenly falling ill during a school trip near Rome, Italy, with symptoms including nausea, vomiting and fever. All affected students have since returned to Czechia, with the last group and a teacher flying home on Saturday, the Czech Foreign Ministry confirmed.

What we know: Italian authorities are still investigating the cause of the outbreak, which affected a 49-person school group staying in Monterotondo. Initial concerns over food poisoning and viral infection have not yet been confirmed, and officials are continuing to trace the timeline of the students’ symptoms.

May 27 marks the anniversary of Operation Anthropoid, the WWII assassination of Nazi official Reinhard Heydrich in occupied Prague. Commemorative events are taking place this week across the Czech capital and at key historic sites connected to the operation.