At least 12 people, including three children, were killed in overnight Russian airstrikes across Ukraine, officials said Sunday, as Kyiv and Moscow finalized their largest prisoner exchange since the war began in February 2022. The attacks, which targeted Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, and Mykolaiv, came just hours after the two countries completed a swap of 1,000 prisoners each.
Ukraine’s emergency services described the strikes as a night of “terror,” with Russian forces launching ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones. Ukraine reported intercepting 45 missiles and 266 drones, while Russia claimed to have downed 110 Ukrainian drones.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the renewed assault, urging stronger international pressure on Russia and warning that global silence only emboldens Moscow. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas echoed the call for tougher action, describing the strikes as deliberate attempts to annihilate Ukraine.
Despite the bloodshed, a major diplomatic milestone was achieved with the successful completion of the prisoner swap, conducted in three phases over three days. Ukrainian and Russian officials confirmed that 1,000 captives from each side were returned, with many Ukrainian soldiers arriving home visibly weakened but emotionally overjoyed.
Russia indicated it may soon send peace terms to Ukraine, though the specifics remain undisclosed. U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed the swap, calling it a potential step toward a larger breakthrough, though his own attempts at mediation have yet to yield results.
Ukrainians on the ground remain skeptical about diplomacy. “We don’t need talks, but weapons,” said Oleskandr, a 64-year-old retiree who survived a strike near Kyiv. “Russia understands only force.”
