Ukraine denies postponing prisoner swaps, Russian strike on Kharkiv kills three

Ukraine has rejected Russia’s claims that it indefinitely postponed prisoner exchanges, accusing Moscow of engaging in “dirty games” following a night of Russian missile and bomb attacks on Kharkiv that left three people dead and 22 injured.

Meanwhile, Russian authorities reported that a Ukrainian drone strike in the Moscow region wounded two people.

During a second round of peace negotiations in Istanbul on Monday, both sides agreed to conduct further prisoner exchanges and return the remains of 12,000 fallen soldiers.

However, Kremlin adviser Vladimir Medinsky claimed on Saturday that Kyiv had unexpectedly put the swaps on hold without setting a new date.

This was refuted by Andriy Kovalenko of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, who urged Russia to stop “playing dirty games” and reengage in constructive negotiations.

“Today’s statements by the Russian side do not align with reality or prior agreements regarding prisoner exchanges or the repatriation of bodies,” he stated via Telegram.

Russia’s Defence Ministry reported that overnight strikes with high-precision long-range weapons and drones successfully targeted military sites in Ukraine.

Kharkiv, a major city in northeastern Ukraine located just a few dozen kilometers from the Russian border, has been a frequent target throughout the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion over three years ago.

“Kharkiv is facing the most intense assault since the beginning of the full-scale war,” Mayor Ihor Terekhov wrote on Telegram.

The attacks damaged residential buildings, schools, and infrastructure. Photos from the scene showed charred structures and debris, as emergency workers evacuated the injured.

Kharkiv regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported that some individuals might still be trapped under rubble after a civilian industrial site was struck by 40 drones and several bombs.

In the Moscow region, Governor Andrei Vorobyov confirmed that a Ukrainian drone attack injured two people overnight and on Friday. He added that nine drones were shot down.

Russia’s aviation authority announced that flight operations had resumed at Moscow's Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, and Zhukovsky airports after a temporary suspension for safety reasons.

Since midnight, Russia’s Defence Ministry reported, air defense systems have intercepted and destroyed 36 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory, including in the Moscow area.

Ukraine’s military also claimed it downed a Russian Su-35 fighter jet on Saturday morning, though no further details were provided. Russian authorities have not commented, and Reuters has not independently verified the claim.

A senior German military official revealed in a forthcoming YouTube podcast that a Ukrainian drone strike deep within Russia last weekend may have damaged approximately 10% of the country’s strategic bomber fleet, hitting several aircraft as they were being prepped for missions against Ukraine.