Russia has launched extensive drone and missile assaults on the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, as well as other regions, leading to at least seven fatalities and many injuries, according to officials on Sunday.
This offensive took place on the third day of a scheduled prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine. It’s notable as the only tangible outcome from the recent peace talks in Istanbul, which had previously failed to establish a ceasefire.
The exchange represents a rare moment of collaboration between the warring factions.
Throughout Kiev and its outskirts, the sounds of explosions echoed as Ukrainian air defense fought to intercept various hostile drones and missiles for several hours.
Ukrainian security services reported that four individuals were killed and 16 others harmed in the capital.
Fires ignited in various homes and businesses due to debris from the drones.
Tragically, three children aged 8, 12, and 17 lost their lives in Zhytomyr, located west of Kiev, according to emergency teams.
Two more fatalities were documented in the Khmelnytskyi region of western Ukraine.
Kyiv’s Mayor, Vitali Klitschko, noted that a drone struck a student dormitory in the Holosiivskyi district, causing one of its walls to catch fire.
In the Dniprovskyi area, private property sustained damage, while in Shevchenkivskyi, residential windows were shattered.
The recent assaults consistently marked some of the most severe aerial bombardments from Russia against Ukraine since the escalation of the conflict in February 2022.
The conclusion of the three-day prisoner swap was set to occur later on Sunday.
Both Ukrainian President Voldymi Zelensky and the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that each side had successfully returned 307 soldiers the previous day.
Upon completion, this will stand as the most significant prisoner exchange amid a conflict that has now spanned over three years.
“I hope there will be more tomorrow,” Zelensky shared via his official Telegram channel on Saturday.
The Russian Ministry of Defense did not provide further elaboration but indicated that the exchanges would likely continue.
On the eve of these events, explosions and anti-aircraft fire resonated throughout Kiev as drones and missiles targeted the city, prompting many residents to seek refuge in subway stations.
During talks in Istanbul earlier this month—marking the first peace negotiations since the full-scale invasion—Kiev and Moscow agreed to a prisoner exchange involving 1,000 soldiers and civilian detainees from each side.
