Kyiv under siege: Russia launches one of the largest drone attacks of war

Russia on Saturday, May 24, 2025, launched a major drone and missile attack on Kyiv, injuring 15 people in what officials describe as one of the largest attacks on Ukraine’s capital since the war began over three years ago.

The strike occurred early Saturday morning and came in successive waves, with a total of 14 ballistic missiles and 250 drones launched at the city.

Ukrainian air defense systems reportedly managed to intercept and shoot down six of the missiles.

Also, it reportedly prevented the majority of the drones from reaching their intended targets.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the night as “difficult for all of Ukraine.”

He also called on the international community to impose additional sanctions on Russia to help bring about a ceasefire.

The timing of the attack was especially significant.

It occurred just hours after a prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia began.

The prisoner exchange is a move that had been considered a hopeful step toward a long-term peace agreement.

The exchange was the result of a deal negotiated in Istanbul earlier in the week and was seen by many as the beginning of a possible permanent ceasefire.

As missiles and drones rained down, residents of Kyiv sought shelter in underground subway stations.

The strikes caused damage across six districts of the capital, with fires and smoke rising from several impact sites.

One of the hardest-hit areas was the Obolon district, where at least five people were injured and a residential building suffered severe damage.

Authorities reported extensive destruction in neighborhoods where bombs that were not intercepted landed.

The air raid in Kyiv lasted over seven hours, reflecting the scale and persistence of the attack.

This latest Russian strike came on the heels of several Ukrainian drone attacks inside Russian territory, including some near Moscow.

These incidents prompted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to promise retaliatory action, which many believe was carried out through this extensive bombardment.

Residents of Kyiv expressed shock and dismay over the renewed violence.

Olha Chyrukha, a 64-year-old local, stood outside her damaged apartment building and lamented the continuing war.

“I wish they’d agree to a ceasefire. To bomb people like this…” she said, reflecting the general despair of many civilians caught in the conflict.

Others reported that their homes had been rendered uninhabitable due to the destruction caused by the attack.

Meanwhile, the ongoing prisoner swap is intended to facilitate progress in peace talks.

As part of the agreement, each side is to release 1,000 prisoners.

On Friday, 390 Ukrainians were returned home, and by Saturday, both sides confirmed that 307 prisoners had been exchanged.

Despite these developments, the path to a lasting ceasefire remains uncertain.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged that the location for the next round of peace negotiations had not yet been determined, highlighting the lack of immediate progress.

Lavrov stated that Russia would present Ukraine with a formal proposal for a truce after the completion of the prisoner exchange.

However, he did not specify what terms would be included.

International calls for an end to the war have intensified in recent months.

U.S. President Donald Trump has prioritized resolving the conflict as a central aspect of his foreign policy.

He has encouraged both Ukraine and Russia to return to the negotiating table for renewed peace talks.

While both governments have expressed nominal agreement to participate, concrete progress remains elusive.

European leaders, meanwhile, have accused Russia of deliberately stalling negotiations in order to gain more ground militarily.

Following the bombardment of Kyiv, President Zelenskyy accused Russia of intentionally undermining peace efforts, a charge that Moscow has also directed at Ukraine.

In a message posted on the social media platform X, Zelenskyy condemned Russia’s actions and reiterated Ukraine’s commitment to ending the conflict.

“With each such attack, the world becomes more certain that the cause of prolonging the war lies in Moscow,” he wrote.

He emphasized that Ukraine has repeatedly offered a ceasefire, but that these overtures have been consistently ignored by Russia.

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