Russia has conducted a massive drone bombardment on Ukraine, launching nearly 500 drones in a single night, according to the Ukrainian air force. This attack was in response to Ukraine's destruction of Russian bombers in drone strikes earlier this month.

Ukraine's air force also reported that Russia fired 20 missiles at various locations across the country, with central and western areas being the main targets. The Ukrainian air defence units successfully intercepted and downed 460 out of 479 drones and 19 out of 20 missiles launched by Russian forces.

The key target of the attack was a military airfield in Dubno, near Ukraine's western border, resulting in one injury. However, the claims made by Ukrainian officials could not be independently verified by the Associated Press.

As Russia intensifies its offensive in eastern and north-eastern regions, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the situation in some areas as 'very difficult'. The Ukrainian General Staff also announced that special operations forces targeted two Russian fighter jets stationed at the Savasleyka airfield in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod region.

On the humanitarian front, Russia and Ukraine conducted a prisoner exchange involving younger POWs and severely wounded individuals. This exchange is part of a larger agreement to swap at least 1,200 prisoners on each side and repatriate the bodies of those killed in the conflict.

While the prisoner swap marks a positive development, broader negotiations to end the war have not made significant progress. Both countries have exchanged military personnel, with the process expected to continue over the coming days.