Kiev, Ukraine (AP) – Russia and Ukraine engaged in another significant prisoner exchange on Sunday, marking the third and final phase of a major swap that showcases a rare instance of collaboration aimed at achieving a ceasefire during over three years of conflict.
Earlier, Kiev, the capital of Ukraine and surrounding regions faced extensive assaults from Russian drones and missiles, resulting in at least 12 fatalities and numerous injuries. Ukrainian officials characterized this as the largest airstrike since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
In this photo provided by Ukrainian emergency services, firefighters search for the victims following a Russian air force attack in the Zhitomir region of Ukraine on Sunday, May 25, 2025 (Ukrainian emergency services via the AP)
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that 303 combatants and civilians were released on Saturday, while 390 were exchanged on Friday, marking the largest exchange in the war.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, confirmed the exchange on Sunday, stating on X, “303 Ukrainian advocates are home.” He noted that the returning troops included members of “the Army, National Guard, State Border Patrol, and State Special Transport Services.”
Natalya Borovik, the sister of Ukrainian soldier Ihol Uresov, was overwhelmed with emotions upon learning of her brother’s return.
“My uncle had to calm me down and get me a taxi so I could get here,” she told the Associated Press. “That moment will stay with you forever.”
Borovik mentioned that her family anxiously awaited news, hoping her brothers would be released during the first part of Friday’s exchange.
“We were worried about everyone. He wasn’t there on Friday, but I was here. At least I got to greet them. I stood there and waited until the very end.
During a conference in Istanbul earlier this month, the first time both parties met for peace negotiations, Kiev and Moscow agreed to an exchange of 1,000 prisoners and civilian detainees each. This swap was the only tangible outcome from the talks.
The largest airstrike of the war
According to Yuriy Ihnat, spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia targeted Ukraine with 367 drones and missiles.
In total, Russia deployed 69 types of missiles and 298 drones, including Iranian-designed Shahad drones, he reported to the Associated Press.
There was no immediate comment from Moscow regarding these attacks.
For Kyiv, the day was particularly somber, coinciding with the observance of Kyiv Day, a national holiday celebrated on the last Sunday of May in recognition of the city’s five-century history.
Zelenskyy stated that Russian missiles and drones struck more than 30 cities and villages and urged Western allies to impose stricter sanctions against Russia—a longstanding appeal from Ukrainian leadership that has yet to materialize significantly despite repeated warnings from the U.S. and Europe.
“These were deliberate strikes in civilian neighborhoods,” Zelenskyy remarked on X, listing targets from Sunday, including Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil, Chernihiv, Sumy, Odesa, Poltava, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, and Cherkasy Enege.
“The silence from America and others globally only serves to embolden,” remarked Russian President Vladimir Putin. “There is no real pressure on Russian leadership, and this horror cannot be halted. Sanctions do have an impact.”
Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that its air defense shot down 110 Ukrainian drones overnight.
“A restless night”
The sounds of explosions echoed throughout Kiev and nearby areas as Ukrainian air defenses worked for hours to intercept Russian drones and missiles. Reports indicate at least four fatalities and 16 injuries within the capital, according to security services.
“A challenging Sunday morning in Ukraine following a sleepless night,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andri Sibikha posted on X.
Homes and businesses were set ablaze by falling drone debris.
In the Zhytomyr area, west of Kyiv, emergency services reported three children aged 8, 12, and 17 perished during the assault. Additionally, twelve individuals were injured, and at least four casualties were confirmed in the Kumelnitsky region of western Ukraine. A man also lost his life in the Mykolav region of southern Ukraine.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko disclosed that a student dormitory in the Holosiivskyi district was targeted by a drone, leading to a fire in one of its walls. In the Dniprovskyi district, private property was damaged, while in the Shevchenkivskyi district, windows of residential structures were shattered.
This photo provided by Ukrainian emergency services shows local residents mourning among the rubble of their home after a Russian air force attack in the Kumelnitsky region of Ukraine on Sunday, May 25, 2025.
Despite the scale of Russian drone and missile usage, the recent assaults over the last 48 hours have been among the most intense strikes against Ukraine since the invasion commenced in February 2022.
Village surrounded by smoke and rubble
In Markharivka, just outside Kiev, several village homes were burnt, including one that Federenka witnessed being destroyed.
“The streets resemble Bahmut, like Mariupol, which is just devastating,” remarked 76-year-old Lyubov Federenko. She expressed gratitude that her daughter and grandchildren opted not to visit over the weekend.
“I tried to persuade my daughter to stay with us,” Federenko shared. “I told her, ‘After all, you’re on the eighth floor in Kiev, and we are on the first floor.’
“She insisted, ‘No, Mom, I’m staying here.’ I’m thankful she didn’t come, as the rocket hit near the room where the child sleeps,” she added.
Ivan Federenko, 80, lamented letting their two dogs inside before the air raid sirens ceased. “They were burned and perished,” he recounted. “I want to bury them, but I can’t yet.”
The fight continues
The recent exchange constituted the largest swap since the war commenced but did not halt the ongoing conflict. Fighting persisted along the frontline, approximately 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) long, where tens of thousands of soldiers have met their fate as both nations endure severe losses.
The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that Yaroslava Yakkin, a commander in the “north” military group, stated Ukrainian forces were pushed back from the border on Sunday. Putin visited the Kursk area just days prior.
“Military advances are occurring every day,” Yakimkin noted, adding that Russian forces had captured Marines and Loknya in the Smie region of northeastern Ukraine, which borders Kursk last week.
During a televised segment in the Russian province on Sunday, Russian troops reported that Putin was flying over the Kursk region by helicopter when it was subjected to a heavy Ukrainian drone strike during his visit.
Putin’s helicopters “effectively repelled large-scale attacks by enemy drones,” reported Yuri Dashkin, commander of Russia’s air defense division. He stated that Russian air defense units shot down 46 drones during this incident.
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Yeroshenko reported from Markhalivka in Ukraine. Associated Press writers Elise Morton in London and Volodymyr Yurcuk in Kyiv contributed to this report.
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Source: apnews.com