Russia-Ukraine war: Kyiv faces massive drone, missile attack amid machine gunfire, eight injured

Russia-Ukraine war: Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv on Saturday was hit by a large-scale Russian invasion involving drones and missiles. The city was rocked by explosions and bursts of machine-gun fire, prompting many residents to seek refuge in underground subway stations.

The overnight attack occurred just hours after Russia and Ukraine initiated a significant prisoner exchange, releasing hundreds of soldiers and civilians. This exchange marked the first phase of an agreement reached by both sides during a meeting in Istanbul the previous week, according to a report by Associated Press.

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The agreement represented a rare instance of cooperation amid largely unsuccessful attempts to establish a ceasefire in the three-year-old conflict.

Early Saturday, debris from intercepted missiles and drones landed in at least four districts of Kyiv, according to Tymur Tkachenko, the acting head of the city's military administration. In a Telegram post, Tkachenko reported that six people needed medical attention, and two fires broke out in the Solomianskyi district as a result of the attack.

Donald Trump says, 'could lead to something big…'

US President Donald Trump said Russia and Ukraine had carried out a “major” prisoner swap, lauding the move as a sign of progress as his efforts to broker an agreement to end the war have faltered.

“Congratulations to both sides on this negotiation,” Trump said in a Truth Social post on Friday, adding that the swap will go into effect “shortly.” He added: “This could lead to something big???”

Following the exchange, Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the call, he stated that Moscow and Kyiv were responsible for reaching a ceasefire.

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Friday’s prisoner exchange marked the initial stage of a complex operation to trade 1,000 prisoners from each side. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the first phase brought home 390 Ukrainians, and further releases are expected over the weekend, making it the largest swap of the war.

In a post on X, Zelensky wrote, “We are bringing our people home. The first stage of the “1000-for-1000” exchange agreement has been carried out. This agreement was reached during the meeting in Türkiye, and it is crucial to implement it in full. Today – 390 people. On Saturday and Sunday, we expect the exchange to continue.”

However, Russia’s Defense Ministry said it received the same number from Ukraine.

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday night that Moscow would give Ukraine a draft document outlining its conditions for a “sustainable, long-term, comprehensive” peace agreement once the ongoing prisoner exchange had finished.

(With inputs from AP)