Russia hits Kyiv with massive drone and missile attack amid prisoner exchange

Ukraine’s superior came nether a large-scale Russian drone and rocket onslaught overnight and into early Saturday that near astatine slightest 15 group injured, according to Ukrainian officials.

The battle came amid a captive speech betwixt Moscow and Kyiv. Russia and Ukraine connected Saturday completed a important captive speech of hundreds of soldiers and civilians aft Friday's first shape of nan woody was reached pursuing talks past week successful Istanbul.

Explosions and instrumentality gunfire were heard passim Kyiv arsenic galore sought shelter successful subway stations.

Yurii Bondarchuk, a resident, said nan aerial ambush siren “started arsenic usual, past nan drones started to alert astir arsenic they perpetually do.”

Moments later, he heard a roar and saw shattered solid alert done nan air.

“The pavilion is wholly wiped out, arsenic good arsenic nan windows and nan doors,” he said, describing nan harm to his flat arsenic he stood successful nan acheronian of nan night, smoking a cigaret to calm his nerves. At nan aforesaid time, firefighters worked to extinguish nan flames.

Kyiv’s mayor, Vitalii Klitschko, warned residents up of nan onslaught that much than 20 Russian onslaught drones were heading toward nan city.

As nan onslaught continued, Klitschko said drone debris fell connected a shopping promenade and a residential building successful nan Obolon territory of Kyiv. Emergency services were headed to nan site, he added.

‘A difficult night,’ metropolis officials said

The Kyiv City Military Administration said it was 1 of nan largest mixed rocket and drone attacks connected nan capital.

Russia launched Ukraine pinch 14 ballistic missiles and 250 Shahed drones overnight, it said.

“A difficult nighttime for each of us,” nan management said, adding that Ukrainian forces changeable down 6 missiles and neutralised 245 drones—128 drones were changeable down and 117 were thwarted utilizing physics warfare.

At slightest six metropolitan neighbourhoods successful nan Ukrainian superior were deed by nan debris of drones and intercepted missiles.

Tymur Tkachenko, nan acting head of Kyiv's subject administration, reported that 2 fires were started successful nan city's Solomianskyi area and that six group needed aesculapian attraction pursuing nan attack.

The Obolon district, wherever a residential building was heavy damaged successful nan attack, was nan hardest hit. There were astatine slightest 5 wounded successful nan area, nan management said.

The aerial ambush alert successful Kyiv lasted much than 7 hours, informing of incoming missiles and drones.

Attack comes amid captive exchange

The battle came amid a captive speech betwixt Moscow and Kyiv. On Friday, Russia and Ukraine completed a important captive speech of hundreds of soldiers and civilians, nan first shape of a woody reached during talks past week successful Istanbul.

On Saturday, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Ukraine had achieved nan merchandise of 307 Ukrainians from Russian imprisonment successful nan 2nd information of its largest captive switch pinch Russia, a declare confirmed by Russia.

The woody was a unsocial lawsuit of collaboration successful different fruitless attempts to extremity nan complete three-year war. The sole actual result of nan Russia-Ukraine bid talks, which took spot successful Istanbul connected May 16 for nan first clip since 2022, was reportedly an statement connected a 1,000-for-1,000 captive swap.

Earlier connected Friday, President Zelenskyy said nan first shape of nan woody brought location 390 Ukrainians, pinch further releases this weekend, which will make it nan largest switch of nan war.

Russia’s Defence Ministry person said it received nan aforesaid number of group from Ukraine. On Saturday, Russia said an further 307 Russian prisoners of warfare (POWs) person been returned from Ukraine and are en way to Belarus.

Russia is playing for clip - EU leaders

Earlier this week, European leaders accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet successful bid efforts while he tries to property his larger army’s battlefield inaugural and seizure much Ukrainian land.

On Tuesday, nan EU agreed to what it called a 17th package of sanctions connected Russia that "cuts disconnected Russia’s entree to cardinal subject exertion and curbs Russia’s power revenues."

Brussels described nan caller sanctions arsenic nan astir wide sweeping since nan commencement of nan war.

They besides travel contempt nan gathering of Ukrainian and Russian officials successful Istanbul, whose result has truthful acold shown that nan 2 sides were still astatine likelihood complete important position for putting an extremity to nan fighting.

A impermanent ceasefire arsenic a first measurement toward a serene solution is 1 specified request for Ukraine, supported by its Western allies.