In one of the largest coordinated aerial assaults on Kyiv during the three-year conflict, Russia unleashed a barrage of drones and ballistic missiles overnight, resulting in damage to multiple apartment buildings and leaving 15 individuals injured.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted in a social media update that it was a “challenging night” for Ukraine and urged the international community to implement new sanctions to compel Moscow to agree to a ceasefire.
In the early morning hours, reporters for Reuters observed successive waves of drones flying over Kyiv, accompanied by a series of explosions that shook the city.
The city also echoed with the sounds of anti-aircraft batteries attempting to intercept the incoming drones.
From an upper floor of one apartment building, smoke and flames could be seen billowing out of a balcony as firefighters tried to reach the site.
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By dawn, government officials reported that six districts of Kyiv were affected, with 15 people wounded in total.
Of those injured, three required hospitalization, including two children, according to official statements.
The military administration of Kyiv characterized the incident as one of the most extensive combined drone and missile attacks experienced during the conflict.
In the aftermath, workers were seen clearing debris from the Russian strikes on Ukraine’s capital.
These attacks come as U.S. President Donald Trump encourages Russia and Ukraine to engage in ceasefire negotiations to end the war, while opposing a European initiative to impose new sanctions on Russia.
In a related development, Russia and Ukraine exchanged 307 soldiers on the second day of a prisoner swap, which is expected to be the largest in the three-year conflict.
Trump has indicated that this prisoner swap—set to facilitate the release of 1,000 individuals on each side over the span of three days—could indicate a new chapter in the inconsistent attempts to negotiate a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine.
The swap was announced by Russia’s defense ministry and also by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a post on the Telegram social media platform.
“Tomorrow we expect more,” Zelensky stated, adding, “Our goal is to bring every one of us back from Russian captivity.”
Ukrainian soldiers were returned to Ukraine earlier as part of the agreement, with images released by Zelensky’s office showcasing the freed personnel arriving on buses at a designated point in Ukraine, embracing one another while wrapped in blue and yellow Ukrainian flags.
At least one of the released servicemen was seen in tears, being comforted by a woman in uniform.
Individuals present to welcome the soldiers provided them with phones to contact their relatives.
“I can’t believe I’m home,” one individual exclaimed.
A short video released by the Russian defense ministry depicted Russian servicemen disembarking from buses and posing with the Russian flag, in addition to the flags of the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire.
Trump suggested that the exchange could signify a new phase in the ongoing, inconsistent efforts to negotiate peace.
The first phase of the exchange took place yesterday when both Russia and Ukraine released 390 prisoners, which included 120 civilians, with further releases anticipated in the coming days.
Yesterday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Russia would be prepared to share a draft document outlining the conditions for a long-term peace agreement once the current prisoner exchange concluded.
The agreement for the prisoner exchange was reached during brief talks in Istanbul on May 16 between Russian and Ukrainian delegations, who had convened upon Trump’s urging.
In terms of ceasefire discussions, Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 14 ballistic missiles aimed at various targets across Ukraine overnight and deployed 250 long-range drones, with Kyiv being the primary target.
These attacks followed several days of Ukrainian drone strikes—totaling around 800—against targets within Russia, including its capital, Moscow.
Lavrov had pledged yesterday to retaliate against those strikes.
Just hours prior to the drone and missile attacks on Kyiv, Russia and Ukraine had exchanged several hundred prisoners, a move that Trump suggested could serve as a precursor to advancements in peace discussions.
Russian negotiators mentioned that they were preparing a memorandum that would act as the foundation for the next round of peace talks.
No date or location has been confirmed yet.
In response to the ongoing situation, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha criticized, “Russia has still not provided its ‘peace memorandum.’ Instead, it continues to launch lethal drones and missiles aimed at civilians.”
In his own Telegram post, Zelensky asserted that Russia’s aggression serves as proof to the international community that it is the obstacle to peace.
“Only through additional sanctions targeting critical sectors of the Russian economy will Moscow be compelled to agree to a ceasefire.”
No immediate response from Russia regarding the overnight assaults has been reported.
Russia maintains its commitment to pursuing a peaceful resolution to the conflict, but insists that Kyiv must acknowledge Russia’s control over parts of its territory and must refrain from utilizing it as a base for potential Western threats against Russia.
According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, its forces have captured the settlements of Stupochki, Otradne, and Loknia in Ukraine’s Donetsk and Sumy regions.
