Sun May 25 02:46:04 UTC 2025: **Headline: Renewed Drone Attacks and Prisoner Swap Mark Tumultuous Day in Russia-Ukraine Conflict**

**Kyiv, Ukraine – May 25, 2025** – Russia and Ukraine traded drone attacks on their respective capitals Sunday, even as they finalized a major prisoner exchange agreed upon in Istanbul last week. Explosions rocked Kyiv as Ukrainian air defenses attempted to intercept incoming drones, wounding at least 10 people. Russian authorities reported intercepting a dozen drones targeting Moscow, leading to airport restrictions.

The renewed aerial assaults follow intensified military activity in recent days, with both sides accusing the other of escalating attacks. On Saturday, the Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched 14 ballistic missiles and 250 drones overnight, wounding 15. The Russian military claimed Ukraine targeted it with 788 drones and missiles since Tuesday.

Despite the ongoing hostilities, the largest prisoner swap of the conflict occurred over the weekend. 307 Russian prisoners of war were exchanged for an equal number of Ukrainian soldiers on Saturday, following an initial exchange of 390 on Friday. Both sides are expected to exchange 1,000 prisoners each.

An AFP reporter witnessed emotional reunions as released Ukrainian soldiers arrived at a hospital in the Chernigiv region, met by tearful relatives after years in captivity.

While the prisoner swap has been hailed as a potential step towards de-escalation, Russian officials have indicated that peace settlement terms will be delivered to Ukraine after the exchange, with no details yet on the content of those terms.

U.S. President Donald Trump praised the prisoner exchange, speculating it “could lead to something big.” However, diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire have so far proven unsuccessful, as Russia continues to pursue its military objectives in Ukraine.

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