Russia, Ukraine swap hundreds of prisoners hours after Moscow launches massive aerial assault

Russia and Ukraine connected Sunday swapped hundreds of prisoners conscionable hours aft Moscow launched 1 of the largest aerial assaults of the much than three-year warfare betwixt the 2 countries. 

The captive swap was the 3rd and last portion of a large exchange, marking a uncommon infinitesimal of cooperation. 

Russia’s Defense Ministry said some sides exchanged much than 300 soldiers. This followed the merchandise of 307 combatants and civilians each connected Saturday, and 390 connected Friday — the largest full swap of the warfare truthful far.

"303 Ukrainian defenders are home," Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote connected X, confirming the exchange. 

RUSSIA LAUNCHES LARGEST AERIAL ATTACK OF UKRAINE WAR, KILLING AT LEAST 12

A Ukrainian serviceman Vitaly, hugs his woman Olena, aft returning from captivity during a POWs speech betwixt Russia and Ukraine, successful Chernyhiv region, Ukraine, Sunday, May 25, 2025.  (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

He said the troops returning to Ukraine were members of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service, and the State Special Transport Service.

In talks held earlier this period successful Istanbul — the archetypal face-to-face gathering betwixt the warring sides successful caller bid talks — Kyiv and Moscow agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners of warfare and civilian detainees each. The speech has been the lone tangible result from the talks.

The speech came conscionable hours aft Russia launched a monolithic drone-and-missile onslaught targeting the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and different regions, sidesplitting astatine slightest 12 radical – including 3 children – and injuring dozens more. 

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that aerial defence forces were moving successful the superior against force drones. Oleh Syniehubov, the caput of the Kharkiv subject administration, said Kharkiv and its suburbs were besides nether onslaught by drones. 

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Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Air Force, told The Associated Press that Russia utilized a full of 69 missiles of assorted types and 298 drones – the largest azygous aerial onslaught of the war. 

Russia's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its aerial defenses changeable down 110 Ukrainian drones overnight.

Relatives amusement photos of missing soldiers to POWs who came backmost from Russian captivity during an speech of prisoners betwixt Russia and Ukraine, successful Chernyhiv region, Ukraine, Sunday, May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

The latest circular of unit came arsenic President Donald Trump told reporters connected Saturday helium was "not happy" with Russia’s large-scale onslaught against Ukraine. 

Speaking astatine Morristown Municipal Airport successful New Jersey, the president accused Putin of "killing a batch of people" successful the attack. 

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"I’m not blessed with what Putin is doing," Trump said. "He’s sidesplitting a batch of people, and I don’t cognize what the hellhole happened to Putin." 

Later expanding connected his comments successful a Truth Social Post, Trump said Putin had "gone perfectly CRAZY!" 

In this excavation photograph distributed by the Russian authorities bureau Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council gathering via videoconference astatine the Kremlin successful Moscow connected March 28, 2025. (SERGEI ILYIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

"I’ve ever said that [Putin] wants ALL of Ukraine, not conscionable a portion of it, and possibly that’s proving to beryllium right, but if helium does, it volition pb to the downfall of Russia!" the societal media station read. But the president besides criticized Zelenskyy.   

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"Likewise, President Zelenskyy is doing his Country nary favors by talking the mode helium does. Everything retired of his rima causes problems, I don’t similar it, and it amended stop," Trump wrote, concluding: "This is simply a War that would ne'er person started if I were President. This is Zelenskyy’s, Putin’s, and Biden’s War, not ‘Trump’s,’ I americium lone helping to enactment retired the large and disfigured fires, that person been started done Gross Incompetence and Hatred." 

Fox News Digital’s Andrea Margolis and The Associated Press contributed to this report.