Russia launched a record 479 drones against Ukraine overnight, marking the largest single aerial barrage since the war began in 2022, according to Ukraine's air force. The escalation came just hours before a long-anticipated prisoner exchange between the two countries, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed had begun in several stages.
Ukrainian officials said the overnight attack primarily targeted central and western regions. The air force reported downing 277 drones and 19 out of 20 missiles, stating that only 10 projectiles reached their intended targets. One person was injured, and damage assessments were ongoing. "The situation is very difficult," Zelenskyy said late Sunday, without elaborating on specific regions.
The barrage coincides with Russia's renewed offensive in eastern and northeastern parts of Ukraine's roughly 1,000-kilometer front line. The attack also followed Ukraine's own drone strike deep into Russian territory, which Kyiv claimed damaged military aircraft at airfields, including the Savasleyka base in the Nizhny Novgorod region. The Ukrainian General Staff said special operations forces struck two Russian fighter jets, though the method was not disclosed. Russian officials have not confirmed the damage.
Russia's Defense Ministry said the recent escalation is retaliation for Ukraine's strikes on bases housing nuclear-capable bombers. One target was the Dubno airbase in Ukraine's Rivne region, which Russia struck in response. Oleksandr Tretyak, mayor of Rivne, said Sunday's assault was "the largest attack" on the region since the war began.
Meanwhile, Russia said it intercepted 49 Ukrainian drones overnight across seven regions. In the Chuvashia region, two drones hit a facility manufacturing electronic warfare equipment. In the Voronezh region, 25 drones were shot down, damaging a gas pipeline and sparking a minor fire, according to regional head Alexander Gusev.
Sunday's bombardment marked the latest in a series of Russian attacks using Iranian-designed Shahed drones. The United Nations estimates that over 12,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed in such drone and missile assaults, although Moscow claims to strike only military targets.
Despite continued fighting, the latest round of prisoner exchanges showed rare cooperation. Both Kyiv and Moscow confirmed that the first stage of swaps had been completed Monday afternoon. Zelenskyy said, "Among those we are bringing back now are the wounded, the severely wounded, and those under the age of 25." The Russian Defense Ministry added that the numbers exchanged were equal, though neither side disclosed exact figures.
The talks that facilitated the exchange were held in Istanbul, marking the second round of direct peace discussions this year. So far, no breakthroughs have been reported beyond agreements to exchange living and deceased soldiers. Zelenskyy claimed that Moscow had failed to send Kyiv the names of over 1,000 Ukrainians whose bodies remain in Russian-controlled territories, despite prior agreements. He accused Russian authorities of playing "dirty" games.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the swap was proceeding but said there were "no specific arrangements so far" for the return of bodies. Ukrainian intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said those transfers would begin later this week.
