A wave of Russian drone and missile attacks struck Kyiv early Saturday morning, sending residents scrambling for safety in underground subway stations. Explosions and machine gun fire echoed throughout the city, marking a stark contrast to the recent prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine. This large-scale assault came just hours after a significant milestone in the conflict: the first phase of a prisoner swap, involving hundreds of soldiers and civilians, had been completed. This exchange, agreed upon during a meeting in Istanbul last week, represented a rare moment of cooperation amidst the ongoing three-year war.
The debris from intercepted missiles and drones fell across at least four Kyiv districts, according to Tymur Tkachenko, acting head of the Kyiv military administration. Six people required medical attention, and two fires erupted in the Solomianskyi district. Prior to the attack, Mayor Vitalii Klitschko warned citizens of over 20 incoming Russian drones, later reporting that drone debris had struck a shopping mall and a residential building in the Obolon district. Emergency services were immediately dispatched to the affected areas.
This prisoner exchange was the first phase of a complex deal, aiming to release 1,000 prisoners from each side. President Zelenskyy announced that 390 Ukrainians had been returned home in this initial phase, with further releases expected, making it the largest such swap of the war. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed a similar number of released prisoners. The exchange, overseen at the border with Belarus, was described by Ukrainian officials as the largest involving Ukrainian civilians to date, though it didn’t signal a halt in the ongoing fighting.
The atmosphere at the medical facility where the released Russian soldiers were taken was charged with emotion. Relatives, holding photos and signs, anxiously searched for news of their loved ones. One such relative, Nataliia Mosych, cried out “Vanya! My husband!” as she spotted her husband among the returning soldiers. Despite the prisoner exchange, battles continued across the extensive frontline, and neither side showed signs of backing down from their deep strikes.
Following the Istanbul meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described the prisoner swap as a confidence-building measure, indicating plans for further talks. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov clarified that no agreement on the venue for future negotiations had yet been reached. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow would provide Ukraine with a draft peace agreement document outlining its terms once the prisoner exchange was complete.
European leaders have criticized President Putin for delaying peace efforts while attempting to advance his military objectives. The Istanbul meeting highlighted the significant differences between the two sides regarding the conditions for a ceasefire, with Ukraine, supported by Western allies, advocating for a temporary ceasefire as an initial step toward a peaceful resolution. The conflicting reports on drone and missile launches, with Russia claiming to have shot down 788 Ukrainian drones between May 20th and 23rd, while Ukraine’s air force reported 175 Shahed drones, decoy drones, and a ballistic missile since late Thursday, further highlight the complexities and ongoing tensions of this protracted conflict.
