Russia launches main aerial assault on Ukraine capital

At least 14 folks have been injured in a serious Russian missile and drone assault on Kyiv, metropolis authorities say.

Russia launched 250 drones and 14 ballistic missiles in opposition to Kyiv, Ukraine’s air drive mentioned, inflicting fires in residential buildings.

It was one of many greatest mixed aerial assaults on town because the warfare started.

The air drive mentioned it had downed six missiles and 245 drones.

“With every such assault, the world turns into extra sure that the reason for prolonging the warfare lies in Moscow,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned on X.

The barrage got here hours after Russia and Ukraine took half in a prisoner swap agreed after talks between the 2 international locations’ officers in Turkey.

Describing a “troublesome evening”, Zelensky mentioned there had been fires and explosions throughout Kyiv with properties, companies and automobiles broken by strikes or falling particles.

Olha Chyrukha, a 64-year-old native resident who lives simply outdoors central Kyiv, instructed Reuters information company: “I want they’d conform to a ceasefire. To bomb folks like this – poor youngsters. My three-year-old granddaughter was screaming scared.”

Commenting on the mixed use of aerial weapons, Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s army administration, mentioned: “The enemy is bettering its personal techniques of utilizing drones, whereas concurrently placing with ballistics.”

Zelensky mentioned solely “extra sanctions focusing on key sectors of the Russian financial system” might push Moscow to conform to a ceasefire.

Last week, Russia mentioned Ukraine had launched a whole lot of exploding drones on the nation, together with strikes over Moscow. The Russia’s Ministry of Defence mentioned that 485 drones had been shot down.

On Friday, Ukraine and Russia every handed over 390 troopers and civilians within the greatest prisoner trade because the Kremlin launched its full-scale assault in February 2022.

Both international locations have every agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners.

US President Donald Trump, who has pledged however thus far failed to finish the warfare, steered on social media that the swap “might result in one thing massive???”.

Earlier this week, Trump had a cellphone name with Russian President Vladimir Putin in regards to the warfare, after which he mentioned the Kremlin and Ukraine would “instantly begin” negotiations for a ceasefire.

However, Putin has solely mentioned Russia would work with Ukraine to craft a “memorandum on a potential future peace settlement”, and failed to handle requires a 30-day ceasefire.