Ukrainian emergency services are responding to the aftermath of Russia’s largest aerial assault of the war, which killed at least 12 people and injured dozens more across multiple regions Sunday night. The devastating attack involved 367 drones and missiles targeting cities from the capital Kyiv to southern Mykolaiv, creating widespread destruction and casualties just hours after the completion of the conflict’s biggest prisoner exchange.
The bombardment began during evening hours and continued through the night, with Ukrainian air defense systems working continuously to intercept incoming threats. Three children were confirmed dead in Zhytomyr region, while four people died in Khmelnytskyi and one in Mykolaiv. In Kyiv, a student dormitory was struck and residential buildings damaged, forcing residents to shelter throughout the night. The scale of destruction has overwhelmed local emergency services, with fires still burning in multiple locations.
Earlier Sunday morning, 303 Ukrainian soldiers had returned home as part of a 1,000-person prisoner exchange negotiated through Istanbul peace talks—the only concrete result from recent diplomatic efforts. However, the immediate shift to massive aerial bombardment has shattered any optimism about potential de-escalation. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described it as another “sleepless night” for the nation, while President Zelenskyy called for increased international pressure on Russia to prevent further attacks on civilian targets.
