russia-hits-ukraine-in-largest-air-attack-since-war-13-killed

Russia launched the largest air assault of the war on Ukraine overnight, killing at least 13 people and wounding dozens, as both sides carried out a major prisoner exchange involving 1,000 individuals each.

 

Ukraine’s air force said it intercepted 266 drones and 45 missiles out of the 367 launched by Russian forces across several regions, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Ternopil and Khmelnytskyi. Despite the high interception rate, the attack caused extensive damage to infrastructure and residential areas.

 

In Zhytomyr, three children were among the 13 people killed. Four more deaths were reported in the western region of Khmelnytskyi, and 11 people were injured in the capital, Kyiv, following a barrage of drones and missiles that also struck the city on Friday.

 

In the southern city of Mykolaiv, a Russian drone strike killed a 77-year-old man and injured five others, according to regional officials. One residential building was left heavily damaged, with a large section destroyed and debris scattered across the area.

 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned what he called a muted response from the United States under former President Donald Trump, urging Western nations to impose tougher sanctions on Moscow.

 

“The silence of America, the silence of others in the world only encourages Putin,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram. “Every such terrorist Russian strike is reason enough for new sanctions against Russia.”

 

Andriy Yermak, head of the president’s office, said that without consistent international pressure, Russia would continue to expand its capabilities.

 

“Moscow will fight as long as it has the ability to produce weapons,” Yermak wrote. “Without pressure, nothing will change, and Russia and its allies will only build up forces for such murders in Western countries.”

 

In response, Russian officials claimed they shot down 95 Ukrainian drones within four hours, including 12 near Moscow, as tensions remained high.

 

Despite the continued escalation, both nations completed a significant prisoner exchange over the weekend, with each side releasing 1,000 individuals.

 

Meanwhile, Ukraine is pushing for a 30-day ceasefire in hopes of facilitating future peace negotiations.