In a harrowing escalation of violence, at least 12 people have been killed and many others injured across Ukraine due to overnight Russian drone and missile strikes. Regional officials and emergency services have reported these tragic incidents, which have left communities in mourning. Among the casualties are three children who lost their lives in Zhytomyr, located west of Kyiv, and a man in his 70s who died in the southern city of Mykolaiv, according to the state emergencies service.
This latest wave of attacks comes just one day after Kyiv experienced one of the most intense assaults since the onset of the Russian invasion. On Saturday, the violence resulted in 13 fatalities across the nation, amid ongoing diplomatic efforts that have led to prisoner exchanges but have seen Russia dismiss calls for a ceasefire. In a statement on Facebook, Khmelnytskyi regional head Serhiy Tyurin reported that four people were killed and five more injured in the recent strikes. He noted that six private homes were completely destroyed, with another 20 sustaining significant damage.
In the Kyiv region, local official Mykola Kalashnyk confirmed that three individuals were killed and 10 others injured. He shared images on social media showing houses engulfed in flames following the Russian bombardment. Ukraine's state emergencies service (DSNS) later updated the casualty figures, stating that the toll had risen to four dead and 16 injured, including three children.
In the capital city of Kyiv, officials reported numerous injuries, alongside multiple fires and damage to residential structures, including a dormitory. The chaos forced hundreds of residents to seek shelter in underground metro stations as the city marked its annual Kyiv Day holiday on Sunday. In Zhytomyr, the DSNS reported the tragic deaths of three children aged 8, 12, and 17, alongside 10 injuries and significant destruction to private homes.
In Mykolaiv, emergency teams recovered the body of an elderly man from a five-storey building that was struck by a drone. Five additional injuries were reported in this city. Meanwhile, in Kharkiv, regional authorities confirmed three injuries resulting from the attacks.
In a contrasting narrative, the Russian defense ministry stated that Ukrainian drones targeted eight regions within Russia. From 20:00 Moscow time (17:00 GMT) on May 24 until midnight, air defense units reportedly intercepted and destroyed 95 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin revealed that 12 drones heading for the capital were shot down, and emergency services were dispatched to assess damage caused by debris from the falling drones.
In the Tula region, just south of Moscow, debris from a drone crashed in a residential area, shattering windows in several apartments; fortunately, no injuries occurred. These developments come as Russia and Ukraine engage in prisoner swaps following negotiations in Turkey.
On Friday, Ukraine and Russia executed a significant prisoner exchange, each side transferring 390 soldiers and civilians — the largest swap since the full-scale assault began in February 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on Saturday that another 307 Ukrainian prisoners had returned home as part of this ongoing exchange agreement with the Kremlin. A total of 1,000 prisoners are expected to be swapped, with another exchange anticipated on Sunday.
These exchanges follow the first in-person talks between the two nations in three years, which took place in Turkey. Earlier this week, former US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin engaged in a two-hour phone conversation to discuss a proposed ceasefire deal for Ukraine. Trump expressed optimism about the dialogue, suggesting it would lead to immediate negotiations for a ceasefire and an end to the conflict. However, Putin's response indicated a willingness to work on a memorandum for future peace, without committing to a 30-day ceasefire.
