Russia’s Massive Drone Barrage Hits Ukraine as Prisoner Swap Talks Persist

Russia unleashed a staggering 479 drones and 20 missiles on Ukraine overnight, marking the war’s largest aerial assault yet, according to Kyiv. The barrage, targeting central and western Ukraine, showcased Moscow’s relentless strategy of nighttime attacks, exploiting the cover of darkness to make drones harder to detect. Ukraine’s air force responded with fierce efficiency, downing 277 drones and 19 missiles, with only 10 projectiles hitting their targets and one reported injury.

The onslaught primarily hit civilian areas, a grim pattern in Russia’s campaign. The United Nations estimates over 12,000 Ukrainian civilians have perished in such attacks, despite Moscow’s claims of targeting only military sites. Amid the destruction, the Kremlin dangled a diplomatic olive branch, expressing readiness to honor agreements from Istanbul talks on June 2 for a prisoner-of-war exchange involving at least 1,200 people and the repatriation of fallen soldiers’ remains. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, however, accused Kyiv of stalling, citing a litany of excuses that he dismissed as unconvincing.

These exchanges remain a rare point of agreement in a war now grinding into its fourth year, with broader peace talks stalled. The contrast is stark: drones rain down, yet negotiations for humanity persist, a faint flicker of cooperation in an otherwise unyielding conflict.