In the most extensive aerial assault since the war began over three years ago, Russia launched 479 drones at Ukraine overnight, according to the Ukrainian air force. Kyiv reported that 460 of the drones were intercepted, along with 19 out of 20 missiles. Despite the defensive success, the attack caused widespread disruption, targeted key infrastructure, and left casualties and structural damage across several regions.
The primary focus of the strike appeared to be a military airfield in the western city of Dubno, near Ukraine’s border with Poland. Ukraine’s air force confirmed that while the majority of incoming threats were neutralized, some reached their targets, including the Dubno airbase. The Polish armed forces activated aircraft in response, underscoring growing concerns about regional security spillover.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attacks as a continuation of Russia’s pressure campaign. While Moscow has stated an interest in peace discussions, recent actions suggest otherwise. The Russian Ministry of Defence claimed its overnight strikes were retaliatory, responding to Kyiv’s earlier drone attacks that damaged bombers deep inside Russian territory.
One of those Ukrainian operations, reportedly called “Operation Spider’s Web,” succeeded in targeting multiple Russian airbases. Ukraine also claimed responsibility for damaging two jets at the Savasleyka airfield in Russia’s Novgorod region—an area located over 600 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
Simultaneously, Kyiv endured one of the heaviest bombardments in recent memory. Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported widespread damage across seven of the city’s ten districts. Fires broke out in multiple buildings, and four people were injured. Explosions echoed throughout the night, with residents posting images of the sky lit orange and thick smoke pluming into the air. Odesa, too, suffered attacks, with two people killed and damage reported to a maternity ward and other civilian structures.
Ukraine’s military maintains that it intercepted the bulk of the drones and missiles using its air defense systems, but the scale of the attack raised new alarms about supply shortages and the need for further Western assistance.
Amid the aerial strikes, a long-awaited prisoner exchange began. Both Kyiv and Moscow confirmed that repatriations had started. President Zelenskyy said the process would take place in several phases, involving wounded individuals, those under the age of 25, and the remains of fallen soldiers. The Russian defense ministry noted that both sides had exchanged the same number of prisoners, though it did not provide specific figures.
While talks in Istanbul between Russian and Ukrainian delegates have not resolved the conflict, the agreement to exchange approximately 1,200 prisoners each represents a rare moment of coordination. Still, each side has accused the other of delays and noncompliance since the deal was reached.
The situation remains fluid. With each new strike and counterstrike, the possibility of a broader regional crisis looms. Ukraine continues to call for an unconditional ceasefire, but Russia has not agreed to such terms. As aerial attacks intensify and battlefield conditions shift, both nations appear locked in a prolonged and exhausting phase of the war—one marked by retaliation, resistance, and fragile diplomacy.
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