‘Most powerful attack’: Russia launches major strike on Ukraine, killing 5

Russia unleashed a barrage of missiles, drones and bombs across Ukraine on Saturday, killing at least five people as it retaliated for an audacious attack by Kyiv on air bases.

A firefighter extinguishes a fire at a civilian plant following powerful attacks to Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. Picture: AFP

Russia unleashed a barrage of missiles, drones and bombs across Ukraine on Saturday, killing at least three people and injuring 21 as it retaliated for an audacious attack by Kyiv on air bases days earlier.

The Kremlin has accelerated its attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks, as direct negotiations have failed to broker an end to the three-year war or even a temporary truce.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga called for Kyiv’s western allies to punish Russia for refusing to halt its invasion.

“To put an end to Russia’s killing and destruction, more pressure on Moscow is required, as are more steps to strengthen Ukraine,” he said on social media.

The Ukrainian air force said Russia had fired 206 drones and nine missiles in the overnight barrage.

The Russian Defence Ministry on Saturday said its forces carried out a night-time strike on Ukrainian military targets, including ammunition depots, drone assembly workshops, and weaponry repair stations. There was no comment from Moscow on the reports of casualties in Kharkiv.

Kharkiv’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov, said the strikes also damaged 18 apartment buildings and 13 private homes, describing it as “the most powerful attack” on the city since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said two districts in the city were struck with three missiles, five aerial glide bombs and 48 drones. Among the injured were two children, a baby boy and a 14-year old girl, he added.

The northeastern city was home to 1.4 million people before the war and lies around 30km from the border with Russia.

In the Dnipropetrovsk province further south, two women aged 45 and 88 were injured, according to local Governor Serhii Lysak.

Russian shelling also killed a couple in their 50s in the southern city of Kherson, close to the front lines, local Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported in a Facebook post.

Rescuers carry a wounded person out of the ruins following Russian attacks. Picture: AFP

Meanwhile, Russia’s defence ministry said its forces shot down 36 Ukrainian drones overnight, over the country’s south and west, including near the capital. Drone debris injured two civilians in the suburbs of Moscow, local Governor Andrei Vorobyov reported.

The aerial bombardments come days after Ukraine launched a daring attack well beyond the front lines, damaging nuclear-capable military planes at Russian air bases and prompting vows of revenge from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Firefighters tackle a blaze after a Russian attack that hit a residential building in Kharkiv. Picture: AP

A prisoner swap was due to take place this weekend — the only concrete agreement to come out of peace talks between the two sides in Istanbul.

But on Saturday, Russia accused Ukraine of postponing the large-scale prisoner swap and the repatriation of the bodies of dead soldiers they had agreed to.

“The Ukrainian side has unexpectedly postponed for an indefinite period, both the acceptance of the bodies and the exchange of prisoners of war,” Russia’s top negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said on social media.

Delegations from Moscow and Kyiv agreed on Monday to swap all wounded soldiers and those under the age of 25 who were still held as POWs.

Mr Medinsky said Russia had brought the bodies of 1212 killed Ukrainian soldiers to the “exchange area” — the first of 6000 to be handed over.

Moscow had also handed over a list to Kyiv with the names of 640 POWs to be swapped in the first stage.

Russia unleashed a barrage of missiles, drones and bombs across Ukraine early on Saturday. Picture: AFP

More than 1000 prisoners from each side were set to be released in the largest exchange of the three-year conflict.

“We urge Kyiv to strictly adhere to the timetable and all agreements reached, and begin the exchange immediately,” Mr Medinsky said.

Kyiv did not immediately respond to the accusation.

After the Istanbul talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the exchange would take place this weekend, while Russia said it was ready for Saturday, Sunday or Monday.

AP, AFP