In a stark escalation of hostilities, Russia launched its biggest-ever drone attack on Ukraine, killing 12 people across the country, including children, even as Kyiv and Moscow completed their largest prisoner exchange since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Ukraine’s emergency services described the night as one of “terror,” with massive air strikes hitting multiple regions including the capital Kyiv. The attack came as the two sides exchanged 1,000 prisoners each—soldiers and civilians—in a significant step following talks in Istanbul earlier this month.
The latest strikes claimed the lives of two children aged eight and 12, and a 17-year-old in the northwestern Zhytomyr region. The local school mourned the loss of Roman, Tamara, and Stanislav on Facebook, stating, “Their memory will always be with us. We will never forgive.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attacks, calling for stronger international pressure on Russia. “Without truly strong pressure on the Russian leadership, this brutality cannot be stopped,” Zelensky said, accusing global powers of silence that “only encourages Putin.” He also stressed that sanctions against Russia “will certainly help.”
The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, echoed the call for international action, stating on social media, “Last night’s attacks again show Russia bent on more suffering and the annihilation of Ukraine. Devastating to see children among innocent victims harmed and killed.”
The drone strikes followed an intense wave of assaults on Friday night, when Russia launched 14 ballistic missiles and 250 drones, injuring 15 people. Ukraine’s military reported shooting down 45 missiles and 266 drones overnight Sunday, with a total of 298 drones launched—the highest number recorded in a single attack, according to Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ignat.
In addition to the Zhytomyr casualties, four people died in the western Khmelnytskyi region, four in the Kyiv area, and one in the southern city of Mykolaiv. Emergency services said 16 people were injured in Kyiv, including three children.
Eyewitnesses described the devastation. “We saw the whole street was on fire,” said 65-year-old Tetiana Iankovska from Markhalivka village near Kyiv. Another resident, 64-year-old Oleskandr, expressed skepticism about peace talks, stating, “We don’t need talks, but weapons, a lot of weapons to stop them (the Russians). Because Russia understands only force, nothing else.”
Meanwhile, Russia claimed the strikes targeted Ukraine’s “military-industrial complex” and said it had downed 110 Ukrainian drones. The drone activity also temporarily disrupted flights at Moscow airports, though no injuries were reported.
Major Prisoner Exchange Completed
On Sunday, Russia announced the exchange of another 303 Ukrainian prisoners of war for an equal number of Russian soldiers held by Kyiv, marking the final phase of the swap agreed upon in Istanbul on May 16.
Over three days, both countries successfully exchanged 1,000 prisoners each, confirmed by the Russian defense ministry and Ukrainian President Zelensky. The swap was carried out in stages, with 390 prisoners exchanged on Friday and 307 on Saturday.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump praised the development on his Truth Social platform, writing, “This could lead to something big,” despite his earlier unsuccessful attempts to broker a ceasefire in the conflict.
The return of the prisoners brought emotional reunions. AFP reporters witnessed former Ukrainian soldiers arriving at a hospital in northern Chernigiv, looking emaciated but smiling and waving to welcoming crowds.
31-year-old soldier Konstantin Steblev, freed after three years in captivity, described his homecoming as “simply crazy. Crazy feelings.” Another former captive, 58-year-old Viktor Syvak, who was held for over three years after being captured in Mariupol, struggled to express his emotions after his release.
As the war rages on, the juxtaposition of deadly drone attacks with hopeful prisoner exchanges highlights the ongoing complexity and human cost of the conflict.
Sources By Agencies
