Russia launched its second consecutive night of extensive drone and ballistic missile strikes across Ukraine, with the capital city, Kyiv, being a central focus of the assault. According to reports on Sunday morning, at least nine people were killed, including three children in the Kyiv region, and numerous others were injured.
The airstrikes occurred amidst the ongoing prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, which served as a rare instance of cooperation amid failed efforts to establish a ceasefire. Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stated that Russia’s attacks demonstrated their intent to prolong the war and called for increased sanctions.
Despite the ongoing conflict, Zelenskyy expressed his expectation for officials to continue with a prisoner swap that was agreed upon during last week’s talks in Istanbul. Russian strikes targeted various regions throughout the country, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries. The intensity of the strikes contradicted US President Donald Trump’s claims that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, was interested in peace.
The Kyiv mayor, Vitali Klitschko, reported that there were already 10 injured in Kyiv as of 3am on Sunday, including a student dormitory that was hit by a drone, causing a fire. The attacks disrupted Kyiv Day celebrations, with residents seeking shelter in bunkers, metro stations, and basements.
Other cities such as Odesa, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Konotop, Chernihiv, Ternopil, and Kharkiv were also hit according to local media reports. The strikes began around midnight on Saturday, with warnings of ballistic missile launches throughout the night. A Guardian reporter in Kyiv heard three drones reaching the city center, followed by loud detonations. Meanwhile, Russian authorities reported that they had downed a dozen drones flying towards Moscow.
The latest attacks occurred as Ukraine and Russia engaged in their largest prisoner swap since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/25/deadly-missile-and-drone-strikes-batter-kyiv-for-second-night
