Russians launched massive attack on Kyiv with ballistic missiles and drones

The Russian Armed Forces launched a massive attack on Kyiv using strike drones and ballistic missiles.

Photos of the aftermath of the Russian attack were published by the State Emergency Service (SES).

The attack took place on the night of May 23-24, 2025. At least eight people were injured in the shelling, and debris from downed drones damaged residential buildings.

According to Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klichko, explosions were heard in several districts of the city, including Solomianskyi, Dniprovskyi, and Obolonskyi. Two victims were hospitalized, while others received medical assistance at the scene.

He also reported that during the attack, more than 20 Russian drones approached Kyiv from three directions: Brovary, Vyshhorod, and Boryspil districts.

According to official information from the Ukrainian Air Force Command, the Russians fired 14 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles at Ukraine from the Taganrog, Yeysk, Bryansk, and Crimea regions.

During the night, the enemy also attacked with 250 Shahed strike UAVs and various types of drone simulators from the directions of Bryansk, Millerovo, Kursk, Orel, Shatalovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, and Crimea.

At the same time, Ukrainian Air Defence Forces managed to shoot down six ballistic missiles and 245 drones, 128 of which were destroyed by fire weapons and 117 by electronic warfare means.

It should be noted that the attack took place after a large-scale prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia as part of the first stage of the “1000-for-1000” exchange, during which 390 Ukrainians were released.

The exchange, which took place on the border with Belarus, was one of the largest, with both military personnel and civilians returning home.

A total of 270 military personnel were returned, including the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in particular the Navy, the Airborne Forces, the Territorial Defence Forces, as well as the National Guard and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

In addition, 120 civilians were released. In total, three women and 387 men returned to Ukraine as part of the exchange.

On April 19, Ukraine returned 277 defenders from Russian captivity, including soldiers who defended Mariupol — soldiers, sergeants, and officers.

Among those released were the defenders of Mariupol who had been held captive for over two years.