12 killed in Russian airstrike on Ukraine: Officials

A massive Russian droneandmissile attack targeted the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and other regions in the country for a second consecutive night killing at least 12 people and injuring dozens officials said early Sunday reported news agency APThe attack was so large and intense that it shocked people Russia targeted Ukraine with 367 drones and missiles making this the largest single attack on the country in more than three years of prolonged war according to Yuriy Ihnat a spokesperson for Ukraines Air Force AP reportedRussia used 69 missiles of various types and 298 drones including Iraniandesigned Shahed drones It was the most massive strike in terms of the number of air attack weapons on the territory of Ukraine since the beginning of the fullscale invasion in 2022 Ihnat said according to an APThe attack came on the third day of a planned prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine the only tangible outcome from peace talks in Istanbul earlier this month that have so far failed to produce a ceasefire The exchange amounted to a rare moment of cooperation between the warring sidesSounds of explosions boomed throughout the night in Kyiv and the surrounding area as Ukrainian air defense forces persisted for hours in efforts to shoot down enemy drones and missilesThe previous night explosions and antiaircraft fire were heard throughout Kyiv as many sought shelter in subway stations while Russian drones and missiles targeted the Ukrainian capitalIn the strikes at least four people were killed and 16 were injured in the capital itself according to Ukraines security serviceOn the other hand Russias Defense Ministry said its air defences shot down 110 Ukrainian drones overnightFollowing the catastrophic attacks on Ukraine fires broke out in homes and businesses set off by falling drone debrisAccording to AP ldquoA difficult Sunday morning in Ukraine after a sleepless night The most massive Russian air attack in many weeks lasted all nightrdquo Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on the social media platform XIn the region of Zhytomyr west of Kyiv three children were killed aged 8 12 and 17 according to the emergency service Twelve were injured in the attacks the service said At least four people were killed in the Khmelnytskyi region in western Ukraine One man was killed in the Mykolaiv region in southern Ukraine reported APKyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a student dormitory in the Holosiivskyi district was hit by a drone and one of the buildings walls was on fire In the Dniprovskyi district even a private house was destroyed and in the Shevchenkivskyi district windows in a residential building were smashedAccording to AP Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russias Defense Ministry said each side brought home 307 more soldiers the previous day on Saturday a day after each side released a total of 390 combatants and civilians Once completed the swap will amount to the largest exchange of prisoners in more than three years of warThe attacks that lasted for the past 48 hours were among the most intense Russian aerial strikes on Ukraine since the February 2022 fullscale invasion of the country The last in a threeday prisoner swap was expected to take place later on SundayldquoWe expect more to come tomorrowrdquo Zelenskyy said on his official Telegram channel on Saturday Russias Defense Ministry also said it expected the prisoner exchange to be continued though it did not give detailsIn talks held in Istanbul earlier this month the first time the two sides met face to face for peace talks since Russias 2022 fullscale invasion Kyiv and Moscow agreed to swap 1000 prisoners of war and civilian detainees eachWith inputs from APatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params