Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds and prisoners on Saturday (May 24, 2025) as part of a major swap, which was for a rare moment of cooperation in otherwise unsuccessful efforts to reach a ceasefire. A few hours after the exchange Kyiv came under a large -scale Russian drone and missile attack At least 15 people were injured by this.
Ukrainian president Volodimir Zelansky And Russia’s Ministry of Defense said that each side brought 307 more soldiers home on Saturday (May 24, 2025), a day after a day a day after a total of 390 fighters and citizens were issued.
Also read Editorial on any ceasefire: Russia-Ukraine on war
“We hope to come tomorrow,” Mr. Zelansky said on his official Telegram channel. Russia’s Ministry of Defense also said that it hoped that the exchange would continue, although it did not give details.
Hours ago, the entire kiev explosion and anti-aircraft fire were heard as several shelters were sought in metro stations as Russian drones and missiles targeted the Ukrainian capital overnight.
An explosion of a drone lights the sky in the city during a dandruff strike, amidst the attack of Russia in Ukraine, Kiev in Ukraine on 24 May, 2025. Photo Credit: Reuters
Earlier this month, in the talks held in Istanbul, both sides met face-to-face for peace talks since Russia’s full-scale invasion of 2022- Kiev and Moscow agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners War and citizen every person.
Officials said Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with 14 ballistic missiles and 250 Shahid drones, while Ukrainian forces shot six missiles and neutralized 245 drones – 128 drones were shot and 117 thwarted using electronic war.
Kiev City Military Administration said it was one of the largest joint missiles and drone attacks in the capital.
The administration said in a statement, “A difficult night for all of us,” the administration said in a statement. Posting on X, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andree Sibiha gave it “clear evidence that it is necessary to accelerate the peace process to increase the pressure of restrictions on Moscow.”
Meanwhile, Kyiv’s European Union Ambassador called it “frightening”.
The debris of interceptic missiles and drones fell into at least six Kiev city districts. According to Timur Takchenko, the caretaker head of the city’s military administration, six people needed medical care after the attack and two fire broke out in Kiev’s Solomansky district.
The administration said the Obol was the most difficult hit with at least five injured in the district, where a residential building was overwhelmed in the attack.
Firefighting sit outside an apartment building, damaged during a Russian drone strike, in the midst of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Ukraine, Ukraine, on 24 May, 2025. Photo Credit: Reuters
Yuri Bondchuk, a local resident, said the air raid siren “started as usual, then flying around the drone because they do continuously.” After moments, he heard a bounce and saw that the glass fly was shattered through the wind.
“The balcony is completely erased, as well as windows and doors,” he said.
Warning of upcoming missiles and drones, air ride alert in Kiev lasted for more than seven hours.
Kiev’s Mayor, Vitali Clightsco, before the attack, warned the residents that more than 20 Russian strike drones were moving towards the city. As soon as the attack continued, the drone debris fell on a residential building in a shopping mall and Obol. Emergency services were taken to the site, the Clitsco said.
Regional officials said that 13 civilians were killed on separate, Friday (May 23, 2025) and on Saturday (May 24, 2025), on Saturday (May 24, 2025) in the south, east and north of Ukraine, on Saturday (May 24, 2025). A Russian ballistic missile killed three people after targeting the Port Infrastructure in Odessa on Black Sea, said local village Oleh Kipe.
The Russian Ministry of Defense on Saturday (May 24, 2025) claimed that its forces hit various military goals in Ukraine overnight, including missiles and drone-producing plants, a reconnaissance center and a launching site for anti-aircraft missiles.
The prisoner was swap on Friday (May 23, 2025) First stage of a complex deal To incorporate the exchange of 1,000 prisoners from each side.
Ukrainian President Volodimier Zelansky said the first phase of the deal brought 390 Ukrainians home, with further release over the weekend, which would make it the biggest swap of war. Russia’s Ministry of Defense said that it received a similar number of people from Ukraine.
According to a swap Ukrainian official, the northern Ukraine had a belarus on the border with Belarus, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said that the Russians were taken to Belarus for medical treatment.
However, exchanges – Since the onset of the war, there was not a restriction in the biggest fighting of dozens of swaps and Ukrainian citizens so far.
The battle continued with the front line of about 1,000 kilometers (620-mile), where tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed, nor the country has trusted in its deep attacks.
After the Istanbul meeting on 16 May, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan swaps the prisoner “confidence-making measures” and said the parties had agreed in principle to meet again.
But Kremlin spokesman Dimitri Peskov said on Friday (May 23, 2025) that no agreement has been reached for the next round negotiations as the diplomatic maneuver continued.
Russian External Affairs Minister Sergei Lavarov said that Moscow would give Ukraine a draft document, which would underline his terms for “durable, long -term, comprehensive, wide” peace agreement after the end of the ongoing prisoner exchange.
European leaders have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of pulling their feet in peace efforts, while he tries to suppress the battlefield of his large army and occupy more Ukrainian land.
Istanbul meeting revealed that the two sides stayed far away in important circumstances to end the fight. One such situation for Ukraine, supported by its Western colleagues, is a temporary ceasefire as the first step towards a peaceful disposal.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said that it had shot 788 Ukrainian drones from the battlefield between May 20 and 23.
Published – May 24, 2025 06:20 PM IST
