Russia, Ukraine swap lots of extra prisoners, hours after huge assault on Kyiv

Russia and Ukraine exchanged lots of extra prisoners on Saturday (May 24, 2025) as a part of a significant swap that amounted to a uncommon second of cooperation in in any other case failed efforts to succeed in a ceasefire. The alternate got here hours after Kyiv came under a large-scale Russian drone and missile attack that left no less than 15 individuals injured.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russia’s Defense Ministry mentioned all sides introduced house 307 extra troopers on Saturday (May 24, 2025), a day after every launched a complete of 390 combatants and civilians.

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“We expect more to come tomorrow,” Mr. Zelenskyy mentioned on his official Telegram channel. Russia’s Defense Ministry additionally mentioned it anticipated the alternate to be continued, although it didn’t give particulars.

Hours earlier, explosions and anti-aircraft fireplace have been heard all through Kyiv as many sought shelter in subway stations as Russian drones and missiles focused the Ukrainian capital in a single day.

In talks held in Istanbul earlier this month — the primary time the 2 sides met nose to nose for peace talks since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion — Kyiv and Moscow agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners of battle and civilian detainees every.

Officials mentioned Russia attacked Ukraine with 14 ballistic missiles and 250 Shahed drones in a single day whereas Ukrainian forces shot down six missiles and neutralized 245 drones — 128 drones have been shot down and 117 have been thwarted utilizing digital warfare.

The Kyiv City Military Administration mentioned it was one of many largest mixed missile and drone assaults on the capital.

“A difficult night for all of us,” the administration mentioned in a press release. Posting on X, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha known as it “clear evidence that increased sanctions pressure on Moscow is necessary to accelerate the peace process.”

Meanwhile, the EU’s ambassador to Kyiv described it as “horrific.”

The particles of intercepted missiles and drones fell in no less than six Kyiv metropolis districts. According to the appearing head of the town’s navy administration, Tymur Tkachenko, six individuals required medical care after the assault and two fires have been sparked in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district.

The Obolon district, the place a residential constructing was closely broken within the assault, was the toughest hit with no less than 5 wounded within the space, the administration mentioned.

Firefighters sit exterior an condo constructing that was broken throughout a Russian drone strike, amid Russia’s assault on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, on May 24, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
Reuters

Yurii Bondarchuk, an area resident, mentioned the air raid siren “started as usual, then the drones started to fly around as they constantly do.” Moments later, he heard a growth and noticed shattered glass fly by means of the air.

“The balcony is totally wiped out, as well as the windows and the doors,” he mentioned.

The air raid alert in Kyiv lasted greater than seven hours, warning of incoming missiles and drones.

Kyiv’s Mayor, Vitalii Klitschko, warned residents forward of the assault that greater than 20 Russian strike drones have been heading towards the town. As the assault continued, he mentioned drone particles fell on a shopping center and a residential constructing in Obolon. Emergency companies have been headed to the location, Klitschko mentioned.

Separately, 13 civilians have been killed on Friday (May 23, 2025) and in a single day into Saturday (May 24, 2025) in Russian assaults in Ukraine’s south, east and north, regional authorities mentioned. Three individuals died after a Russian ballistic missile focused port infrastructure in Odesa on the Black Sea, native Gov. Oleh Kiper mentioned.

Russia’s Defense Ministry on Saturday (May 24, 2025) claimed its forces in a single day struck varied navy targets throughout Ukraine, together with missile and drone-producing crops, a reconnaissance middle and a launching website for anti-aircraft missiles.

The prisoner swap on Friday (May 23, 2025) was the first phase of a complicated deal involving the alternate of 1,000 prisoners from all sides.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the primary section of the deal introduced house 390 Ukrainians, with additional releases anticipated over the weekend, which is able to make it the most important swap of the battle. Russia’s Defense Ministry mentioned it acquired the identical variety of individuals from Ukraine.

The swap happened on the border with Belarus, in northern Ukraine, in line with a Ukrainian official who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of he was not approved to talk publicly.

The launched Russians have been taken to Belarus for medical remedy, the Russian Defense Ministry mentioned.

However, the alternate — the newest of dozens of swaps for the reason that battle started and the most important involving Ukrainian civilians to date — didn’t herald a halt within the preventing.

Battles continued alongside the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) entrance line, the place tens of 1000’s of troopers have been killed, and neither nation has relented in its deep strikes.

After the May 16 Istanbul assembly, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan known as the prisoner swap a “confidence-building measure” and mentioned the events had agreed in precept to fulfill once more.

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned on Friday (May 23, 2025) that there was no settlement but on the venue for the subsequent spherical of talks as diplomatic maneuvering continued.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov mentioned Moscow would give Ukraine a draft doc outlining its circumstances for a “sustainable, long-term, comprehensive” peace settlement, as soon as the continued prisoner alternate had completed.

European leaders have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his toes in peace efforts whereas he tries to press his bigger military’s battlefield initiative and seize extra Ukrainian land.

The Istanbul assembly revealed that either side remained far aside on key circumstances for ending the preventing. One such situation for Ukraine, backed by its Western allies, is a brief ceasefire as a primary step towards a peaceable settlement.

Russia’s Defense Ministry mentioned it had shot down 788 Ukrainian drones away from the battlefield between May 20 and May 23.