So far, the largest drone and inorganic attacks in the Russian war have struck Ukraine, killing at least 12
Officials said Russia's massive attack on drones and missiles will target Ukraine's capital and other regions in the early hours of the morning, killing at least 12 people and killing dozens of people for the second consecutive night.
The scale of the slam is amazing.
According to Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat, Russia hit Ukraine with 367 drones and missiles, making it the largest attack in more than three years of war. He told the Associated Press that Russia has used a total of 69 missiles and 298 drones, including the Iran-designed Shah drone.
Inat said this is “the biggest strike in terms of the number of air strike weapons on Ukrainian territory since the start of the full invasion in 2022.”
Moscow did not comment immediately. The day was particularly gloomy for Kiev, as the city observed Kiev Day, a national holiday that set on the last Sunday of May, commemorating its founding in the 5th century.
“Intentional strike against ordinary cities”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian missiles and drones have hit more than 30 cities and villages in Ukraine and urged Western partners to raise sanctions on Russia. This has been a long-term request from Ukrainian leaders, but despite warnings from the United States and Europe to Moscow, it has not been achieved in a way that prevents Russia.
Zelenskyy wrote on X that the targets for Sunday include Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil, Chernihiv, Sumy, Odesa, Poltava, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Cherkasy regions.
“These are intentional strikes on ordinary cities. Ordinary residential buildings are destroyed and damaged,” he said.
“This cruelty cannot be stopped without the real huge pressure on the Russian leader. The sanctions will certainly help. The determination now – to determine the United States, the European countries and all those seeking peace.”
The attack took place on the third day of a planned prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, the only tangible result of the peace talks held in Istanbul earlier this month, and has so far failed to generate a ceasefire. The trading phase of the deal is a rare moment in war, and is expected to take place later Sunday.
The ongoing exchange of prisoners of war is the latest swap since the war began, and the largest exchange involving Ukrainian civilians, and so far the battle has not stopped fighting. Fight continued along the front line of about 1,000 kilometers, where thousands of soldiers were killed and none of the nation was surrendered in a deep strike.
Zelenskyy and Russia's defense ministry said 307 soldiers were brought home on Saturday on each side as a total of 390 combatants and civilians were released on each side. Once completed, the swap will reach the largest prisoner exchange in more than three years of war.
“We expect more tomorrow,” Zelenskyy said on Saturday's official telegram channel.
The Russian Ministry of Defense also said that although no details were provided, exchanges were expected to continue.
“The biggest Russian air strike”
Meanwhile, Russia's Ministry of Defense said that air defense aircraft shot down 110 Ukrainian drones overnight.
The Ukrainian Air Force continued for hours to shoot down enemy drones and missiles, and the sound of explosions in Kiev and surrounding areas flourished throughout the night.
Ukraine's security agency said at least four people were killed and 16 people were injured in the capital itself.
“After a sleepless night, a tough Sunday morning in Ukraine. Russia's biggest air strike lasted all night,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X.
Fire broke out in houses and businesses caused by falling drone debris. According to the Ministry of Emergency Services, three children were killed at the age of 8, 12 and 17 in the Zhytomyr area west of Kiev. Twelve people were injured in the attack, the department said.
At least four people were killed in the Khmelnytskyi region of western Ukraine. A man was killed in the Mykolaiv area in southern Ukraine.
The new attack comes after Saturday's storm
Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a student dormitory in the Holosiivskyi area was attacked by a drone and the walls of a building caught fire. In the Dniprovskyi district, a private house was destroyed, and in the Shevchenkivskyi district, windows in residential buildings were smashed. The scale of Russia’s use of aviation weapons since the full-scale war in February 2022 is that the attacks in the past 48 hours have been one of the most intense strikes in Ukraine.
In a village of smoke and rubble, outside Kiev, in the village of Markhalivka, overnight, several houses were burned down there, Fedorenkos watched their destroyed houses burst into tears.
“The street looks like Bakhmut, like Mariupol,” said Liubov Fedorenko, 76.
She said she was grateful that her daughter did not join them on the weekend with her family.
“I tried to convince my daughter to come to us,” Fedorenko said, adding that she told her daughter, “After all, you live on the eighth floor in Kiev, which is the first floor.” “She said, “No, mom, I'm not here.” “Thank God, she didn't come because the rockets hit the side where the children's room was.”
Ivan Fedorenko, 80, said he regretted letting their two dogs enter the house after the air strike sirens went out.
“They were burned to death,” he said. “I wanted to bury them, but I haven't allowed it yet.”
The night before, explosions and air defense fires were heard throughout Kiev as many seek shelter at subway stations, with Russian drones and missiles targeting the Ukrainian capital.
