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Prisoner exchange amid ceasefire
Ukraine and Russia exchanged 205 prisoners of war on Friday, marking the first phase of a planned swap involving 1,000 detainees from each side. The exchange was brokered by the United States and the United Arab Emirates, according to officials.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that many of the freed Ukrainians had been held since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Among them were soldiers who fought during the siege of Mariupol, in border regions, and at the Chornobyl nuclear plant. Russia's defense ministry stated that the 205 Russians released were transported to Belarus for medical and psychological support.
The swap occurred under a three-day ceasefire, which ended this week as Russia launched a large-scale drone and missile offensive across Ukraine.
Kyiv mourns 24 killed in missile strike
Rescue workers concluded a 28-hour search of a destroyed nine-story apartment block in Kyiv's Darnytskyi district on Friday, where 24 people, including three girls aged 12 and 15, were killed. The building was struck by a Russian X-101 cruise missile, according to Zelensky, who noted the weapon had been produced recently.
Among the victims were two employees of the Nova Poshta postal service, both named Dmytro, one of whom died alongside his wife. Former hockey player Yuriy Orlov and his girlfriend, English teacher Maryna Homeniuk, were also killed, along with kindergarten teacher Svitlana Moskalishyna. Lyubava Yakovleva, 12, lost her life in the attack, while her elder sister was initially reported missing before her death was confirmed.
"The scariest face of war is the children's lives it takes," the girls' school wrote on Facebook.
Zelensky visited the site to lay flowers, condemning Russia for "deliberately destroying lives and hoping to remain unpunished." He accused Moscow of circumventing global sanctions to import missile components.
Russian civilians killed in drone attack
Russian officials reported that four people, including a child, were killed when Ukrainian drones struck the city of Ryazan, southeast of Moscow. Governor Pavel Malkov stated that debris from the attack damaged two apartment blocks, injuring 28 others.
Ukraine's drone commander claimed the strike targeted Ryazan's oil refinery, one of Russia's largest. Social media images showed significant damage to residential buildings.
Ceasefire collapses as attacks escalate
The prisoner exchange took place during a brief ceasefire from May 9 to 11, coinciding with Russia's scaled-down Victory Day parade. However, the truce was violated repeatedly, and Russian forces launched their largest drone assault since the war began, firing 1,410 drones and 56 missiles at Ukrainian cities within 24 hours on May 13-14.
Despite Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent statement that the war was "heading to an end," no negotiations have occurred since February. Ukrainian commentators suggested the escalation was timed to coincide with U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Zelensky accused Moscow of attempting to "disrupt the overall political atmosphere."
The Kremlin announced that Putin would visit Xi "really soon" to discuss bilateral ties and international issues, following Xi's meeting with Trump.
Rescue efforts and tributes
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko praised rescuers for saving 30 people from the Kyiv apartment block. Eighteen-year-old Ivan, one of the first responders, described the scene: "A fire was burning, and there was smoke everywhere. I helped a policeman lower a disabled woman to safety-she couldn't walk, and he carried her in his arms."
Zelensky honored the 205 freed Ukrainian prisoners, emphasizing their service in critical battles. The Nova Poshta postal service mourned its two employees, while the victims' families and community laid flowers at the site of the destroyed building.
