Russia and Ukraine conducted extensive air assaults overnight on Saturday, deploying hundreds of drones in prolonged raids. These attacks coincided with the largest prisoner exchange of the war, highlighting the ongoing conflict despite attempts to de-escalate tensions.
Russia's assault on Ukraine was particularly notable, involving 250 long-range drones and 14 ballistic missiles, primarily targeting Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. Ukraine's air force reported intercepting six missiles and nearly all drones; however, at least 15 individuals in Kyiv sustained injuries due to drone debris and intercepted weapon fragments crashing into residential buildings.
Residents of Kyiv were awakened by the sounds of antiaircraft batteries engaging incoming threats. The night sky was illuminated by air defense missiles and tracer fire from heavy machine guns, while explosions triggered car alarms, contributing to the chaotic atmosphere.
President Volodymyr Zelensky described the night as challenging for all of Ukraine, asserting that each attack reinforces the belief that Moscow is prolonging the conflict. He noted Russia's consistent disregard for Ukraine's proposals for a temporary cease-fire.
In recent weeks, Ukraine has also intensified its air assaults on Russia, launching hundreds of drones at Russian cities, including Moscow, which led to temporary airport closures.
On Saturday, Russia's defense ministry claimed to have intercepted 94 Ukrainian drones overnight. In Lipetsk, near the Ukrainian border, local officials reported drone crashes in an industrial area linked to a significant weapon battery production facility, according to Ukraine's military.
The ongoing attacks indicate a rising trend in air assaults, with both sides increasing drone production capabilities, enabling them to launch hundreds of drones in a single night—an achievement not seen in the war's initial year. Both nations are also enhancing drone technology to improve range and explosive capacity.
Drone swarms are often employed to overwhelm enemy air defenses, facilitating successful strikes. Russia frequently combines drone and missile attacks, deploying drones first to saturate the airspace and distract air defense teams before launching missiles that are more challenging to intercept.
The overnight assaults occurred shortly after both nations initiated a significant prisoner exchange expected to continue until Sunday, allowing 1,000 prisoners from each side to return home, marking the largest exchange of the conflict.
On Friday, an initial group of 270 soldiers and 120 civilians from each side was exchanged, with many Ukrainian families traveling to northeastern Ukraine in hopes of reuniting with loved ones. This exchange, the only tangible result from recent cease-fire discussions in Turkey, has sparked cautious optimism about building trust and potentially paving the way for peace.
However, the attacks on Saturday emphasized that despite efforts to de-escalate, hostilities remain intense. Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, indicated that once the prisoner exchange concluded, Moscow would present Kyiv with a draft document outlining its conditions for a peace agreement.
Nevertheless, skepticism persists in Kyiv regarding Russia's commitment to ending the conflict. Russian forces have resumed offensive operations in eastern Ukraine, advancing along a crucial highway that connects Ukrainian-held cities. During last week's talks in Turkey, Russia insisted that any cease-fire must begin with Ukraine withdrawing from territories it currently occupies, a condition deemed unacceptable by Kyiv.