Kyiv: Ukraine firmly denied Russian accusations on Saturday that it had indefinitely postponed planned prisoner exchanges, calling the claims part of a “dirty game” by Moscow. The denial came as deadly Russian missile and drone strikes pounded the northeastern city of Kharkiv, killing at least four people and injuring more than 60 over two waves of attacks.
The first wave, launched overnight, left three civilians dead and 22 injured. A second air assault later on Saturday killed another person and wounded more than 40 others. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy condemned the strikes as “another brutal murder”.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported that their air force successfully downed a Russian Su-35 fighter jet on Saturday morning. Russia has not commented on the report, and Reuters could not independently verify the claim.
At a separate front in the conflict, Russian officials said a Ukrainian drone attack in the Moscow region wounded two people. Governor Andrei Vorobyov stated that nine drones were intercepted, though some debris caused injuries. Operations at Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, and Zhukovsky airports were briefly suspended before resuming, according to Russia’s aviation authority.
Prisoner Swap Dispute
The rising hostilities followed a second round of peace talks held earlier this week in Istanbul, where Ukrainian and Russian negotiators agreed on renewed prisoner exchanges and the repatriation of approximately 12,000 fallen soldiers.
However, Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky claimed on Saturday that Ukraine had indefinitely postponed the planned exchanges. This assertion was swiftly refuted by Andriy Kovalenko, an official with Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council.
“Today’s statements by the Russian side do not correspond to reality or to previous agreements on either the exchange of prisoners or the repatriation of bodies,” Kovalenko said on Telegram. “Moscow should stop playing dirty games and return to constructive work.”
Escalating Attacks on Kharkiv
Russia’s Defence Ministry stated it had used precision long-range weapons and drones to target Ukrainian military sites, claiming all objectives were hit. In Kharkiv—Ukraine’s second-largest city, located just a few dozen kilometers from the Russian border—the scale of destruction has reached new heights.
“Kharkiv is currently experiencing the most powerful attack since the start of the full-scale war,” said Mayor Ihor Terekhov on Telegram.
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The assaults hit residential areas, educational institutions, and infrastructure facilities. Images from the scene showed charred buildings and widespread rubble, with emergency personnel seen carrying the wounded from collapsed structures. Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov warned that people might still be trapped under the debris of a civilian industrial site that was struck by 40 drones and several bombs.
Drone Warfare Deepens
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defense units had intercepted and destroyed 36 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions, including near Moscow, since midnight. The surge in aerial attacks coincides with recent Ukrainian operations targeting Russian military logistics and aviation infrastructure.
President Zelenskiy said Ukrainian forces had destroyed three Iskander missile systems and damaged Russian military helicopters.
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“There have also been new blows to Russian military logistics and airfields. This helps our defence – every complication for Russia is important for us,” Zelenskiy said in his nightly address.
In a related development, a senior German military official revealed that a Ukrainian drone strike deep inside Russian territory last weekend likely damaged about 10% of Russia’s strategic bomber fleet. The attack reportedly struck some bombers as they were being prepared for new missions against Ukraine.
