Russia launches missile strikes on Kiev hours after largest prisoner swap
Russia launched drone and missile strikes on Kiev hours after the largest prisoner swap since the start of the war, the mayor of Kiev said, citing a Reuters report.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Russian drone and missile strikes early on Saturday (May 24) scattered debris across several districts of the city. At least eight people were injured in the incidents.
Witnesses told Reuters they saw several drones flying over Kiev and heard explosions. The mayor said two residents had been taken to hospital for treatment. Air defense units were active.
Meanwhile, the largest prisoner exchange in the history of the Ukraine-Russia war took place on Friday (May 23). Both sides released 390 military and civilian prisoners each. More prisoners were also announced to be released in the future.
The ceasefire talks have made progress after a trilateral meeting between Russia, Ukraine and the United States in Turkey. As a result of the decision taken at this meeting, both countries released 270 military personnel and 120 civilians on Friday. The two countries plan to release 1,000 prisoners under the prisoner exchange agreement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kiev’s goal is to free every Ukrainian soldier and civilian who is imprisoned in Russia. Zelensky also called on the world to increase pressure on Russia.
He said, “This is the right time to increase pressure on Russia. It will not only bring results, but we will get everything we should get. When we need a ceasefire, the Russians have spent a week preparing the so-called ‘memorandum’. This is certainly a mockery.”
Russia has said that it will present a draft peace agreement to Ukraine once the prisoner exchange is completed. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said they were ready to work on a framework for a long-term, sustainable peace agreement.
US President Donald Trump welcomed the exchange, saying it could be the start of something big. But the Kremlin has not yet agreed to a ceasefire proposal. Lavrov also rejected the idea of the Vatican as a possible venue for peace talks.
