Russia launched its largest air attack since the war began, striking over 30 cities and towns across Ukraine overnight. The assault hit major regions such as Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odesa with a heavy barrage of missiles and drones. Ukraine’s Air Force reported a total of 367 projectiles, including 69 missiles and 298 drones. Officials confirmed that some of the drones used were Iranian-made Shahed models.

The attack caused significant casualties and damage. At least 12 people were killed and dozens were injured nationwide. Kyiv alone reported four deaths, including three children, and 16 injuries. Other cities also suffered losses, with four people killed in Khmelnytskyi and one in Mykolaiv. Fires broke out in homes and businesses after drone debris fell in multiple areas.

President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack as an intentional strike on civilian areas and called for stronger sanctions against Russia. He emphasized that maximum pressure from the West was needed to stop Russia’s ongoing campaign of destruction. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the attack as the largest Russian air assault in weeks and said it turned Sunday into a night of terror for many Ukrainians.

This heavy attack came even after a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, the largest swap since the start of the conflict. The exchange followed peace talks in Istanbul but did not result in a ceasefire. Fighting has since intensified along the approximately 1,000-kilometer front line between the two countries.

Russia’s Defence Ministry reported shooting down 110 Ukrainian drones during the night. In response to the drone attacks near Moscow, authorities suspended flights at three main airports: Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky. Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said the city’s defenses destroyed six drones near the capital. The airports halted operations following the security threat.