Explosions Rock Kyiv as Russia Launches Massive Airstrike After Prisoner Exchange

Kyiv, May 24, 2025: Ukraine’s capital came under a heavy overnight air assault by Russian forces just hours after a major prisoner exchange between Moscow and Kyiv. The coordinated drone and missile barrage marked one of the largest air attacks on Kyiv in months and underscored the volatility of the ongoing war despite brief moments of diplomatic engagement.

Kyiv’s military administration reported explosions across multiple districts of the capital, including Solomianskyi and Obolon. Falling debris from intercepted aerial objects caused fires in residential buildings, with at least six civilians reported injured and requiring medical treatment. Emergency crews rushed to affected areas to contain fires and secure the damaged structures.

The assault began late Friday and stretched into Saturday morning, prompting air raid sirens across the city. Civilians sought refuge in underground metro stations as the sky lit up with the streaks of missiles and the hum of drones. Ukraine’s air defense forces claimed they successfully shot down a significant number of incoming threats, mitigating what could have been a more catastrophic impact.

The attack followed a notable prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia, hailed as the largest such exchange in months. The swap, facilitated under Turkish mediation, involved the release of hundreds of detainees on both sides. Though welcomed by the international community as a humanitarian step, it has not de-escalated military tensions on the ground.

Western leaders condemned the Russian strike as a deliberate provocation. The United States and European Union called for restraint and reiterated support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and defense.

Russia has not issued an official statement about the attack, but it has previously justified such actions as retaliatory measures or responses to Ukrainian military actions in contested regions.

As the conflict nears its third year, the pattern of limited diplomatic breakthroughs followed by renewed hostilities continues to define the geopolitical landscape in Eastern Europe.