Kyiv Rocked by Overnight Russian Drone and Missile Barrage Amid Major Prisoner Swap

Ukraine’s capital endured a massive overnight Russian drone and missile attack early Saturday, sending explosions and gunfire echoing through the city and prompting residents to take shelter in underground subway stations.

The attack came just hours after a significant prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, in which both sides swapped hundreds of soldiers and civilians in the initial phase of a deal brokered during a meeting in Istanbul last week. The exchange marked a rare act of cooperation amid ongoing failures to reach a ceasefire in the nearly three-year war.

Tymur Tkachenko, acting head of Kyiv’s military administration, said debris from intercepted missiles and drones fell in at least four districts of the city. Six people required medical attention, and fires were sparked in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district as a result of the barrage.

Local resident Yurii Bondarchuk described hearing the air raid siren followed by the sound of drones. Moments later, a blast sent shattered glass flying through his apartment. “The balcony is totally wiped out, as well as the windows and the doors,” he said, standing in the dark while firefighters extinguished the flames.

The air raid alert in Kyiv lasted over seven hours. Prior to the strikes, Mayor Vitalii Klitschko warned of more than 20 Russian strike drones en route to the capital. During the assault, he reported that drone debris hit a shopping mall and a residential building in the Obolon district. Emergency services responded to the impacted areas.

Friday’s prisoner exchange was the first phase of a complex agreement that includes the swap of 1,000 prisoners from each side. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that 390 Ukrainians were returned in the first phase, with further releases expected over the weekend, making it the largest swap of the war. Russia’s Defense Ministry reported receiving an equal number of prisoners from Ukraine.

The swap took place at the Belarus-Ukraine border, according to a Ukrainian official who spoke anonymously due to the sensitivity of the operation. The Russian prisoners were transported to Belarus for medical treatment, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed.

At the Belarusian medical facility, emotional scenes unfolded as relatives of prisoners held up signs and photographs, calling out for loved ones. “Vanya!” shouted Nataliia Mosych, searching for her husband.

Despite the exchange, combat persisted along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line. Tens of thousands of soldiers have died in the ongoing conflict, and both nations continue deep-strike operations with no sign of de-escalation.

Following the May 16 Istanbul meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called the prisoner deal a “confidence-building measure” and said future talks were tentatively planned. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated there was no agreement on the venue for further negotiations.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday night that Moscow would present Ukraine with a draft for a “sustainable, long-term, comprehensive” peace agreement after the prisoner exchange concluded.

European leaders have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of prolonging diplomatic negotiations to strengthen his army’s position and seize more Ukrainian territory.

The Istanbul discussions highlighted the continued divide between the two sides, with Ukraine — backed by Western allies — demanding a temporary ceasefire as a starting point for peace.

In a separate statement, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed it had downed 788 Ukrainian drones between May 20 and May 23. Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 175 Shahed and decoy drones, along with a ballistic missile, starting late Thursday.