Kyiv — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated Monday {that a} new prisoner change with Russia was underway. He stated it could happen in a number of rounds over the “coming days,” asserting that Kyiv had acquired the primary group of captives from Russia.
“Today, an exchange began, which will continue in several stages over the coming days,” Zelenskyy stated on social media. “Among those we are bringing back now are the wounded, the severely wounded, and those under the age of 25,” he added.
Ukrainian prisoners of warfare (POWs) are seen after being launched by Russia in a swap, amid Russia’s ongoing warfare on Ukraine, at an unknown location in Ukraine, in a handout image launched June 9, 2025, by the Ukrainian presidency.
Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout/REUTERS
Russia’s Protection Ministry stated earlier Monday that it had returned a gaggle of prisoners — all aged below 25 — from Ukraine within the first stage of a brand new main change of captives agreed between Moscow and Kyiv throughout their second spherical of talks in Istanbul.
The change of prisoners has been a solitary constructive improvement from these direct talks, wherein the 2 sides stay in any other case entrenched of their respective calls for over circumstances to halt the combating. On the roughly 600-mile entrance line within the floor warfare, stretching from japanese Ukraine’s northern to southern borders, the combating has solely intensified in latest weeks.
Moscow claimed Monday to have gained much more floor in japanese Ukraine, and it did so after launching an enormous spherical of assault drones in retaliation for Kyiv’s blistering sneak drone assault on Russian army plane final week.
President Trump stated final week that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had advised him throughout a cellphone name that Russia would retaliate for the Ukrainian drone assault, which Kyiv claims destroyed 41 Russian bombers as they sat parked at 4 airbases.
Russia launches main drone strike towards Ukraine as combating continues
Moscow fired a report 479 drones at Ukraine, together with on the western area of Rivne that has been largely spared from assaults, Kyiv stated Monday, whereas claiming an assault on a Russian manufacturing facility a whole bunch of miles east of Moscow.
Russia has escalated its assaults throughout Ukraine in latest weeks, which Kyiv says exhibit that the Kremlin has no intention of stopping its greater than three-year invasion and isn’t critical about peace talks.
Moscow stated Monday its strikes are continued retaliation for a daring Ukrainian assault on its bomber planes parked deep inside Russia, together with in Siberia, that infuriated the Kremlin.
The in a single day Russian assaults triggered injury in a number of Ukrainian areas. There have been no studies of individuals killed or mass casualties.
“Enemy air strikes were recorded in 10 spots,” the Ukrainian air power stated.
A resident stands on the website of a Russian air strike, amid Russia’s ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, June 9, 2025.
Stringer/REUTERS
The mayor of the western metropolis of Rivne, Oleksandr Tretyak, referred to as it “the largest attack” on the area for the reason that begin of the warfare.
Regional governor Oleksandr Koval stated 70 buildings — together with personal homes and a nursery — had been broken within the assault.
Russia stated it had focused an airfield close to the village of Dubno within the Rivne area.
“This is one of the retaliatory strikes against terrorist attacks by the Kyiv regime on Russian military airfields,” its protection ministry stated.
Ukraine’s Air Drive Command spokesperson Yurii Ihnat stated in a submit on social media that the nation’s U.S.-made Patriot air protection system had shot down all 4 Kinzhal hypersonic missiles launched by a warplane over Rivne Oblast, however it was unclear whether or not any drones or different Russian weapons may need hit the airfield within the space. There have been no studies by Ukrainian media of serious damages to the power.
Ukraine additionally stated it had launched its personal in a single day strike on an electronics manufacturing facility that makes half for Russian drones, within the metropolis of Cheboskary in Chuvashia — some 372 miles east of Moscow.
Russian officers stated the power needed to quickly droop manufacturing after the assault.
“This morning, Ukrainian attempts to use drones in Chuvashia were detected,” Chuvashia Governor Oleg Nikolayev stated on Telegram, including: “Two drones fell on the territory of the VNIIR factory.”
Ukraine’s military stated the manufacturing facility manufactured “antennas for Shahed” (drones). Russia fires dozens of Iranian-designed Shahed assault drones at Ukrainian cities each day.
Russia stated a Ukrainian strike killed one particular person in its border Kursk area Monday. The performing governor of the area, Alexander Khinstein, stated the strike hit a “cultural-service centre” within the Rylsky district, killing a 64-year-old man.
