Kyiv (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Just hours after Russia and Ukraine started a significant prisoner exchange, Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, was the target of a massive Russian drone and missile bombardment that lasted from overnight into Saturday.
According to Ukraine’s National Police, at least 15 individuals sustained injuries in various districts of the city. Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that the attack caused fires and scattered debris across the area. Officials indicated that several residential structures were harmed.
“With each such attack, the world becomes more certain that the cause of prolonging the war lies in Moscow,”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X.
Fragments of Russian missiles and drones are being cleared in Kyiv. Rescue and emergency operations are ongoing at the sites of strikes and debris impacts — wherever they are needed. There were many fires and explosions in the city overnight. Once again, residential buildings,… pic.twitter.com/F3szA4gCJz
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 24, 2025
Explosions and the wailing of sirens echoed throughout the capital. Multiple fires illuminated the night sky. The nighttime attack came after Russia and Ukraine completed the first phase of what is expected to be the biggest prisoner exchange since the start of the war.
Why is the prisoner exchange seen as significant?
As reported by CNN, the swap began on Friday and will extend into Saturday and Sunday, with Kyiv and Moscow set to exchange 2,000 individuals – 1,000 from each side. The decision to free 1,000 prisoners from both sides was the sole major result of the meeting between Kyiv and Moscow in Istanbul last week, marking their first direct interaction since Russia’s full-scale, unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
What damage did drone and missile attacks cause?
On Saturday, the Kyiv city military administration reported that an apartment building in the Dniprovskyi district was damaged by shell fragments.
Officials reported that a fire erupted on four floors of an apartment high-rise in the Obolon district, located in the city’s northern suburbs, damaging numerous windows, according to the city administration. The city administration reported fallen debris at a shopping center nearby, and drone fragments landed across several distant neighborhoods.
How effective were Ukrainian air defences during the attack?
On Saturday, Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia fired 14 ballistic missiles and 250 attack drones at the nation, primarily targeting the capital. They noted that air defences intercepted 6 of the missiles and 245 drones, although projectiles did strike the Dnipro, Odesa, Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions.
