Kyiv was shaken by one of the largest coordinated drone and missile attacks of the war just hours after Russia and Ukraine began their biggest prisoner exchange to date, involving up to 1,000 detainees. Ukrainian officials said the overnight barrage injured at least 15 civilians and caused widespread damage across the capital, underscoring the fragility of efforts toward a ceasefire after more than three years of war.
Russia launched 14 ballistic missiles and 250 Shahed drones against Ukraine late Thursday into early Saturday. Ukrainian air defenses shot down six missiles and neutralized 245 drones - 128 through direct fire and 117 through electronic warfare, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
Kyiv's military administration described the assault as "one of the most massive combined missile and drone attacks on the capital." Debris from intercepted weapons rained down across at least six districts, sparking fires in the Solomianskyi district and damaging a residential building in Obolon, which saw five of the night's injuries.
"A difficult night for all of us," the Kyiv City Military Administration said in a statement.
Resident Yurii Bondarchuk described the moment of impact in Obolon: "The balcony is totally wiped out, as well as the windows and the doors," he said while standing amid shattered glass. "The air raid siren started as usual, then the drones started to fly around as they constantly do."
The attacks came as Ukraine and Russia initiated the first phase of a prisoner exchange negotiated during a May 16 meeting in Istanbul. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that 390 Ukrainians returned home on Friday, with 307 more repatriated on Saturday. "Among those who returned today are warriors from our Armed Forces, the State Border Guard Service, the National Guard of Ukraine," Zelensky said in a social media post. "I thank everyone involved in the exchange process, those who have been working around the clock."
Russia's Ministry of Defense confirmed receiving the same number of its personnel and stated that the Russian prisoners were transported to Belarus for medical evaluation.
Zelensky condemned the strikes as an intentional effort by the Kremlin to prolong the war and undermine ceasefire overtures. "There are fatalities. My condolences to the families and loved ones," he wrote. "With each such attack, the world becomes more certain that the cause of prolonging the war lies in Moscow."
He added that Ukraine had proposed both full ceasefires and airspace-only halts, but "it all has been ignored." The Ukrainian president said only increased Western sanctions would pressure Russia into genuine negotiations.
Russian officials, including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, signaled that Moscow would present a draft proposal for a "sustainable, long-term, comprehensive" peace agreement after the prisoner exchange concluded. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday that no agreement had been reached regarding a venue for future talks.
The assault on Kyiv followed Ukrainian drone strikes inside Russian territory earlier in the week. Russia's Defense Ministry claimed it had intercepted 788 Ukrainian drones between May 20 and May 23. Ukraine's air force reported Russia had launched 175 Shahed and decoy drones, along with ballistic missiles, during the same time period.
European leaders criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for delaying meaningful peace negotiations while seeking to exploit battlefield gains. The front line, spanning roughly 1,000 kilometers, remains active with no reduction in hostilities. President Trump, who had previously demanded a 30-day ceasefire, has recently softened that stance, now urging both sides to begin broader discussions on future peace terms.
