Russia launched its largest aerial assault of the three-year war on Ukraine overnight, targeting key cities and regions with missiles and drones for a second consecutive night. At least 12 people were killed in the attacks, including children, and dozens more were injured.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rebuked the US for its “silence” on the matter, while US President Donald Trump expressed frustration with Putin, saying he is sending rockets into cities and killing people. However, Trump also criticized Zelensky’s rhetoric, stating that it causes problems.
Despite a significant prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine, which saw over 600 prisoners exchanged, the two sides continue to intensify their aerial bombardment. The assault in Ukraine was described as “the most massive Russian air attack in many weeks,” with Ukrainian Air Force reporting that 367 aerial attack weapons were launched across 22 locations.
Russia’s defense ministry said it intercepted or destroyed around 100 attack drones, while Ukraine reported civilian buildings damaged in multiple districts due to the drone and rocket attacks. The overnight assault came a day after another wave of Russian attacks, which killed at least 13 people.
The prisoner swap was the final phase of a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange agreed upon by both sides, with over 800 people released previously. Zelensky expressed gratitude to the team that worked on implementing the exchange, but called on the US and Europe to impose fresh sanctions on Russia due to its continued brutality.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/05/24/europe/russia-ukraine-kyiv-attack-prisoner-swap-intl-hnk