
LONDON– Russia introduced a big drone and projectile strike on Kyiv very early Saturday, wounding 6 and destructive structures throughout the city as the following phase of a detainee swap in between Ukraine and Russia is established for today, with 390 individuals currently released and approximately 1000 prisoners anticipated to be launched in the coming days.
Russia discharged 14 Iskander-M/KN -23 ballistic projectiles and 250 Shahed drones, mainly targeting Kyiv. Ukraine’s Flying force stated it obliterated 6 projectiles and 245 drones.
At the very least 17 individuals were harmed in Kyiv, with domestic structures and facilities harmed throughout several areas.
In other places, Russian shelling in Kherson area over the previous day eliminated 2 individuals and hurt 13, harming important and social facilities, together with 3 apartment and 12 personal homes. Russian pressures additionally eliminated 4 and harmed 8 even more In the Donetsk area on Friday.
In Russia, Ukrainian drone strikes over night and on Saturday early morning harmed 3 individuals and targeted commercial websites in the Lipetsk and Tula areas. The Russian Protection Ministry declared 94 drones were downed over 6 areas.
On the other hand, Ukraine’s Protection Knowledge (HUR) states Russian pressures have actually implemented greater than 150 caught Ukrainian soldiers considering that the begin of Russia’s full-blown intrusion in February 2022, explaining it as component of an intentional project by Moscow’s management.
Ukrainian Head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyy required more powerful permissions versus Russia, stating Moscow’s purpose is to extend the battle by turning down ceasefire propositions.
The exchange was prepared complying with reciprocal peace negotiation in Istanbul recently.

Ukrainian detainees of battle are seen after a swap, in the middle of Russia’s strike on Ukraine, at an unidentified area in Ukraine, in this handout photo launched May 23, 2025.
Ukrainian Presidential Press Solution through Reuters
Russian Foreign Priest Sergey Lavrov stated Friday that when the swap is total, Russia will certainly turn over a draft “detailing the problems for attaining a lasting, long-lasting, detailed negotiation arrangement,” according to Russian state media.
Ukrainian Protection Priest Rustem Umerov stated Friday that Ukraine is dedicated to a ceasefire and called the exchange the “initial stage.”
” We attained 1,000 for 1,000. Hereafter, if it will certainly achieve success, as I stated very first is exchanges, 2nd is the ceasefire,” he stated.
Such exchanges have actually happened throughout Russia’s 3-year-old intrusion, though the swap– when finished– will certainly be without a doubt the biggest to day. Detainee exchanges are among minority locations in which Moscow and Kyiv have actually had the ability to get to an accord throughout the dispute.