Russia used 69 missiles and 298 drones, together with Iranian-designed Shahed drones, within the assault.
In what was the biggest aerial assault because the starting of the Russia–Ukraine warfare, Moscow launched 367 drones and missiles at Ukrainian cities in a single day into Could 25, leaving at the least 12 lifeless and dozens injured, Ukrainian officers mentioned.
Three of the lifeless had been kids within the northern area of Zhytomyr, officers in that space confirmed.
Russia utilized 69 missiles and 298 drones, together with Iranian-designed Shahed drones, within the assault.
The air strike got here hours earlier than the third and remaining prisoner swap between Moscow and Kyiv, as the 2 nations have exchanged a whole lot of prisoners of warfare in an effort to scale down the battle, which started with Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
On Could 24, the 2 international locations swapped 307 of their prisoners as a part of the bigger multi-day change after swapping 390 prisoners on Could 23. Russia and Ukraine agreed the week prior throughout negotiations in Turkey for either side to launch 1,000 prisoners of warfare captured throughout greater than three years of combating.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy referred to as on the US, which has pushed for a cease-fire between Ukraine and Russia, to talk out in opposition to the in a single day assault.
“The silence of America, the silence of others on the earth solely encourages [Russian President Vladimir] Putin,” he wrote on Telegram. “Each such terrorist Russian strike is cause sufficient for brand spanking new sanctions in opposition to Russia.”
Moscow didn’t instantly touch upon the assaults, however Russia’s Protection Ministry mentioned it shot down 110 Ukrainian drones with its air defenses in a single day.
Russia’s missiles and drones hit greater than 30 cities and villages, together with Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil, Chernihiv, Sumy, Odesa, Poltava, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, and Cherkasy, Zelenskyy mentioned.
Whereas the in a single day assault was the biggest assault of the warfare when it comes to the variety of weapons fired, different strikes have led to extra fatalities.
No less than 12 individuals perished within the assault and 60 extra had been injured, based on Ukrainian Inside Minister Ihor Klymenko.
“This was a mixed, ruthless strike aimed toward civilians. The enemy as soon as once more confirmed that its objective is concern and demise,” Klymenko wrote on Telegram.
Hours after the assault, Zelenskyy wrote in a submit on social media platform X that 303 prisoners had been returned to Ukraine, saying the third a part of the “1000-for-1000 change deal” negotiated in Turkey had been accomplished on Could 25.
“At present, warriors of our Armed Forces, the Nationwide Guard, the State Border Guard Service, and the State Particular Transport Service are returning dwelling,” he mentioned.
Russia’s Protection Ministry additionally confirmed the swap, saying every nation had welcomed dwelling one other 303 troopers every on Could 25, following the exchanges over the earlier days.
Reaching a Stop-Hearth Deal
Each Ukraine and its European allies have been pushing for Russia to signal a 30-day cease-fire settlement in an effort to finish the greater than three-year-long warfare.
Kyiv had wished U.S. President Donald Trump to position extra sanctions on Moscow after Putin didn’t agree to instantly pause combating.
Regardless of the massive variety of missiles and drones within the in a single day assault, Ukraine’s air power mentioned it was capable of shoot down 266 drones and 45 missiles.
It was the second-largest aerial assault in two days after Russia shot dozens of ballistic missiles and drones at Kyiv on the night of Could 23.
“With out strain, nothing will change and Russia and its allies will solely construct up forces for such murders in Western international locations,” Zelenskyy’s chief of employees, Andriy Yermak, wrote on Telegram. “Moscow will combat so long as it has the flexibility to supply weapons.”
Of the Ukrainian drones that Russia mentioned it intercepted in a single day, 12 had been shot down on their method to the capital, based on Sergei Sobyanin, the mayor of Moscow.
On Could 19, U.S. Vice President JD Vance mentioned that Putin appeared to lack a plan to finish the warfare.
“I’m undecided that Vladimir Putin has a method himself for the way to unwind the warfare,” Vance advised reporters aboard Air Drive Two on Could 19.
Each Vance and Trump have been pushing for Russia to conform to a cease-fire and in the end finish its warfare with Ukraine.
Ryan Morgan, Tom Ozimek, Reuters, and The Related Press contributed to this report.
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