The scale of the assault was unprecedented, with Russia launching a total of 367 drones and missiles in what Ukraine’s Air Force has called the largest single attack since the war began over three years ago, according to spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat.
A massive Russian drone and missile attacks struck Ukraine overnight for the second night in a row, killing at least 12 people and injuring dozens more, Ukrainian officials said early Sunday. The capital city, Kyiv, saw multiple explosions and heavy anti-aircraft fire through the night, forcing many residents to seek refuge in subway stations.
The scale of the assault was unprecedented, with Russia launching a total of 367 drones and missiles in what Ukraine’s Air Force has called the largest single attack since the war began over three years ago, according to spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat.
Speaking to The Associated Press, Ihnat said the barrage included 69 missiles of various types and 298 drones, many of them Iranian-designed Shahed models.
Several areas of the city sustained significant damage including a student dormitory in the Holosiivskyi district was struck by a drone, igniting a fire and damaging the building. A private residence in Dniprovskyi district was destroyed.
In the Shevchenkivskyi district, a residential building suffered shattered windows due to the blasts.
Attack coincides with ongoing prisoner swap
The assault occurred on the third day of a major prisoner exchange agreement between Ukraine and Russia, the only tangible progress achieved during recent peace talks held in Istanbul.
So far, each side has repatriated 390 individuals, including both soldiers and civilians. On Saturday alone, 307 more detainees were exchanged. Both President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed the developments and signaled that further exchanges are expected soon.
“We expect more to come tomorrow,” Zelenskyy said via Telegram. Russia’s Defense Ministry echoed this, stating the process would continue, though without specifying further details.
Istanbul talks yield fragile cooperation
The prisoner exchange emerged as a rare moment of collaboration from the Istanbul negotiations, the first direct peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. As part of the agreement, both countries pledged to swap 1,000 prisoners of war and civilian detainees.
Despite this limited progress, the broader goal of achieving a ceasefire remains elusive as the conflict continues into its third year.
(With inputs from the Associated Press)