Kyiv endured a night of hell as Vladimir Putin unleashed new terror on the Ukrainian capital.
Apocalyptic scenes unfolded during more than seven hours of bombardment which saw missiles and drones hit until 5.10am today.
There were explosions and fires in the capital city as a senior Moscow military figure and a hardline politician stated that Putin’s goal is to unify Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus into one state.
Russia launched attacks on military sites in the Dnipro and Poltava regions, with reports suggesting the Kremlin used more Iskander-M missiles worth £2 million each, along with their North Korean counterparts, than ever before.
Ukraine confirmed that it was targeted by 14 Russian Iskander-M missiles and KN-23 ballistic missiles resembling those from Pyongyang, in addition to 250 drones, some of which turned out to be decoys.
Half of the drones were intercepted, as were six missiles, according to Ukrainian armed forces.
In Kyiv and the surrounding region at least ten people were wounded in the intense Russian strikes.
Reports from Moscow claimed Ukrainian drone-making facilities around the Antonov aircraft-making plant in Kyiv had been hit.
The Kyiv Post reported ‘a massive missile and drone attack on sleeping civilians in Kyiv overnight’ which saw ‘powerful explosions’ every five to 10 minutes.
In Kharkiv region the Putin slaughter – despite supposed engagement with peace talks – continued with four Ukrainians killed, and seven injured in Russian attacks.
The dead were a woman, 78, two men, both 60, and another woman, 33.
Kyiv Military Chief Timur Tkachenko labelled it a ‘difficult night’ and added: ‘One of the largest combined attacks on the capital. The enemy is improving its tactics of using drones, while simultaneously striking with ballistics.’
Earlier port facilities were destroyed in Odesa in a major ballistic missile attack causing death and injuries.
The onslaught was seen as revenge for more than 1,000 Ukrainian drones fired at Russia in recent days, which wrought havoc with airports in Moscow and other cities.
Russia reported at least 94 Ukrainians shot down overnight.
But it is known that Kyiv drones hit the NAK AZOT plant, a major Russian chemical enterprise at Novomoskovsk in Tula region.
The plant makes ammonium nitrate and nitric acid, both crucial to the manufacture of Russian explosives.
For the second night in a row, Ukraine also successfully attacked the Energia plant in Yelets, Lipeetsk region, which makes chemical power sources for Russian drones, nuclear-capable Bulava missiles, as well as Iskanders and hypersonic Kinzhals.
Russian MP and war hawk Lt-Gen Viktor Sobolev, 75, a member of the parliament’s defence committee, insisted Putin’s military aim is to unite Russia, Ukraine and Belarus in a single state.
He said: ‘The solution, the complete solution to these goals of the special military operation, is undoubtedly the creation of a united union state of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.’
‘The restoration of the Russian world within its natural borders. We are all Russian.’
Lt-Gen Sobolev added historical connections which are seen as wrong-headed and offensive by Ukraine.
He said: ‘Kyiv is the mother of Russian cities. ‘Prince Vladimir is Russian, Yuri Dolgoruky is Russian. Yaroslav the Wise is Russian, and so onâĤ.
‘So we must, of course, protect our Russian world.’
The overnight attacks came just hours after US President Donald Trump hinted at ‘something big’ in the region as Moscow and Kyiv agreed to hand over 1,000 prisoners of war from both sides.
The American president said on his social media platform, Truth Social: ‘A major prisoners swap was just shortly completed between Russia and Ukraine.
‘Congratulations to both sides on this negotiation. This could lead to something big???’
Ukrainian officials told the Financial Times the swap was agreed during peace talks in Turkey that Vladimir Putin failed to attend.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the ‘first stage’ of the agreement was yesterday carried out with 390 people exchanged on both sides.
It is unclear if last night’s attacks will have any bearing on plans to continue the swaps which are scheduled to be completed by the end of the weekend.
Russia’s defence ministry said yesterday: ‘270 Russian servicemen and 120 civilians including peaceful residents of the Kursk region captured by the Ukrainian army were returned.
‘In exchange, 270 Ukrainian prisoners of war and 120 civilians were handed over.’
The exchange was agreed last week in what was the first direct Russia-Ukraine peace talks since the early weeks of Moscow’s 2022 invasion of its neighbour.
However, the meeting in Turkey lasted just two hours and brought no breakthrough in international diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting.
