2025-05-24T11:52:45Z

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In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, Russia has launched a substantial drone and missile attack on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, overnight, marking one of the largest assaults since the onset of the ongoing conflict. According to local authorities, the attack has resulted in significant damage across six districts of the city and has left at least 15 people injured, including two children.

This latest wave of violence coincidentally followed the recent exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine, where both nations reportedly swapped 390 individuals. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the night as particularly challenging for the nation and called for renewed international sanctions to compel Moscow to agree to a ceasefire.

During the early hours of the assault, numerous witnesses reported hearing successive waves of drones buzzing overhead, accompanied by a series of explosive detonations throughout the city. The sound of anti-aircraft artillery could also be heard as it engaged the drones, while the skyline was illuminated by an ominous orange-red glow from the explosions. Photographs showed smoke billowing into the air, casting an eerie shadow over the city.

Among those affected, 63-year-old Halyna Tatarchuk recounted her harrowing experience. She was in her apartment when one of the drones struck the building, prompting her and her husband to take cover in the corridor. 'That saved us,' she remarked, recalling her subsequent dash to a nearby school turned bomb shelter. Upon returning to her apartment in daylight, she found her home devastated, with shattered windows and debris littering the floor. 'I’d like Trump to see this,' she expressed, her frustration evident. 'What’s he doing? Can he really not see this? …It’s the destruction of a people, they are just destroying us.'

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia had launched a total of 14 ballistic missiles and 250 long-range drones, with Kyiv predominantly targeted. This assault follows a series of approximately 800 Ukrainian drone strikes aimed at Russian territories, including the capital, Moscow. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had previously declared that Russia would retaliate against these Ukrainian attacks.

In a twist of irony, just hours before the drone and missile strikes commenced, Russia and Ukraine successfully exchanged a number of prisoners, an action that U.S. President Donald Trump suggested could potentially pave the way for future peace negotiations. Zelenskyy confirmed that 307 of Ukraine's service personnel returned home as part of this exchange. Meanwhile, Kremlin interlocutors are reportedly preparing a memorandum intended to guide the next round of peace discussions, though no specific dates or locations for these talks have been determined.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha expressed skepticism regarding Russia's intentions, stating, 'Russia still has not sent its 'peace memorandum.' Instead, it is sending deadly drones and missiles at civilians.' President Zelenskyy echoed this sentiment, asserting that the attacks serve as evidence that Russia remains the primary obstacle to achieving peace. He emphasized the need for additional sanctions against critical sectors of the Russian economy, arguing that this would pressure Moscow into agreeing to a ceasefire.

As of now, there has been no immediate response from Russian officials regarding the overnight assault. Earlier reports from Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that their forces had gained control over settlements in Ukraine's Donetsk and Sumy regions, yet independent verification of these claims remains elusive.