Latest news with #Vitaly
Wales Online
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Champions League final streaker who got ‘flirty messages' from Liverpool stars and her life now
Champions League final streaker who got 'flirty messages' from Liverpool stars and her life now Kinsey Wolanski made headlines across the world when she streaked during the 2019 Champions League final, with the model also claiming she received 'flirty messages' from Liverpool players (Image: undefined via Getty Images ) Kinsey Wolanski stole the spotlight during the 2019 Champions League final when she infamously streaked across the Wanda Metropolitano pitch. The social media influencer made headlines around the world by sprinting onto the field in a revealing black leotard to promote her then-beau's adult website, during Liverpool's 2-0 win over Tottenham. Although her stunt resulted in a stay in a Madrid jail cell for the night, Wolanski became an instant online sensation, witnessing her social media followers soar past the two million mark within days. Despite facing a barrage of criticism for her antics, Wolanski shared that she did encounter encouragement from some sectors at the stadium. At the time, she said: "I confided in the Liverpool fans around me what I was about to do and at first they all said, 'Are you joking?' "But when they realised I was serious, they thought it was a brilliant idea. One of them even took my phone and said he would record it for me." Here, we look at what Wolanski has been up to since that fateful night. A break up with her boyfriend Wolanski's romantic ties with YouTuber Vitaly Zdorovetskiy, known widely as VitalyzdTv, came to an end soon after the stunt. Zdorovetskiy himself is rather acquainted with public streaking, his screen-name synonymous with some of the most talked-about pitch invasions to date, reports the Mirror. The Russian made quite the spectacle during the 2016 NBA Finals, interrupting a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors with 'Trump Sucks' emblazoned across his chest. This was not his first public stunt; he previously gained attention for streaking at the 2014 World Cup final, where Germany faced Argentina, sporting the phrase 'Natural Born Prankster' on his skin. Vitaly Zdorovetskiy found himself in hot water for his stunts (Image: Getty Images ) He didn't stop there, as he stormed the pitch at the 2022 World Cup quarter-final match between Argentina and the Netherlands, declaring 'Vitaly the GOAT' on his torso. Yet, it seems the 33-year-old's escapades eventually caused tension with Wolanski, who shared on the Residency Podcast in 2023: "Vitaly's great guy, we were best friends and we had the same career. But there's only one star in the show. Once I got my career, that was really hard on Vitaly. It got weird and competitive." While Wolanski has opted for a more subdued approach to her content creation, Vitaly has repeatedly found himself in trouble with authorities due to his provocative social media stunts. The online personality is now facing legal issues after being arrested on April 2 at Bonifacio Global City for allegedly causing distress to the public and security personnel during a live broadcast on Kick. Currently, he is being held in the Philippines pending his court proceedings. 'Flirty messages from Liverpool stars Wolanski shared that she received flirtatious messages from a few Liverpool players after her infamous Champions League final stunt. She said: "I'm not revealing any names, but a couple of the Liverpool players did send me private flirty messages after I streaked the game. "One sent some heart emojis and the other one a message saying, 'I saw you at the game.' I honestly didn't even know who they were until I clicked on their profiles." Kinsey Wolanski streaked the 2019 Champions League final (Image: Getty Images ) Demonstrating her commitment to her boyfriend at the time, Wolanski added: "I didn't respond, though, as I already have a boyfriend." Training alongside a UFC star Although she has never participated in a professional MMA fight, Wolanski did train with Cody Garbrandt, a former bantamweight UFC champion. With a record of 14-6, 'No Love' will be remembered as one of the greatest in his weight class, particularly for his title-winning bout against Dominick Cruz. As part of the YouTube series Pro Athletes Unfiltered, which featured Wolanski trying her hand at various sports alongside seasoned athletes, she entered the octagon for an MMA training session with Garbrandt. In a video documenting the event, Wolanski learned wrestling moves and even managed to take down Garbrandt. Kinsey Wolanski saw her social media following surge overnight (Image: WireImage ) In other episodes of the series, Wolanski trained with Major League Baseball star Miguel Rojas during the off-season, ran track with athlete Chari Hawkins, and made a splash with Olympic gold medallist Michael Andrew. A chilling incident and a quest for adventure Outside of her work as a content creator, Wolanski has embraced the daredevil lifestyle as a skilled skydiver. Yet, she discovered first-hand that such high-octane activities come with inherent dangers when she suffered injury. The 28-year-old shared details of a skydiving injury with her online followers, explaining: "For all those asking how I broke my ankle. It was a really windy day skydiving, and I dropped 20ft straight onto my ankle on the landing." Still, Wolanski hasn't let this hold her back, venturing into stunt work and even securing her pilot's licence. Reflecting on her aviation journey, she said: "Getting my pilot's licence was one of the most challenging but rewarding things I have ever done. Kinsey Wolanski has been successful in multiple endeavours (Image: Getty Images for The Recording Academy ) "I flew for 112 hours before taking my final check ride exam. You have to pass three exams. An intense written exam, an oral exam on the ground, and lastly, the in-flight exam. This entire process took me 1.5 years." Fast forward to 2025, and Wolanski has cultivated a thriving YouTube channel focused on her flights, amassing over 260,000 subscribers. Her channel features regular content where viewers can join her in the cockpit of her single-engine Piper Archer. Article continues below Wolanski has not only featured in Sports Illustrated and Maxim but also launched her own OnlyFans channel, started her own gym-wear label and entered the real estate business. Reflecting on her goals, she previously said: "By the time I'm 30, I plan on making enough money to retire, and streaking at the Champions League will only help me achieve that. "After I was released from jail, I had gone from 300,000 followers on Instagram to over two million. You can't buy that kind of publicity. Suddenly, I was famous all over the world and had job offers flooding in. I don't think I did anyone any harm, it was just a bit of fun."
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
UCL final streaker's 'flirty messages' from Liverpool stars and where she is now
Kinsey Wolanski has enjoyed several adventures since she was caught streaking during the 2019 Champions League final - from flirtatious messages from footballers to training with a UFC legend Kinsey Wolanski caught the attention of football fans worldwide - and even a few players - when she streaked during the 2019 Champions League final. The social media star made headlines globally when she dashed across the pitch of the Wanda Metropolitano during Liverpool's 2-0 win over Tottenham, leaving little to the imagination in a black leotard promoting her then-boyfriend's adult website. Despite her actions earning her a night behind bars in the Spanish capital, Wolanski quickly became a viral sensation, with her social media following skyrocketing to more than two million almost overnight. Despite seeing a wealth of criticism for her publicity stunt, Wolanski revealed that she received some support from the crowd on the evening. She said at the time: "I confided in the Liverpool fans around me what I was about to do and at first they all said, 'Are you joking?' But when they realised I was serious, they thought it was a brilliant idea. One of them even took my phone and said he would record it for me." Here we look at what Wolanski has got up to since that infamous night. A break-up with her boyfriend Wolanski was in a relationship with YouTuber Vitaly Zdorovetskiy at the time of her stunt, but it appears the two have since split. No stranger to a spot of streaking himself, Zdorovetskiy - who goes by the screenname VitalyzdTv - has been responsible for some of the most memorable field invasions of all time. The Russian waded into the 2016 NBA Finals during a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors with 'Trump Sucks' scrawled across his chest, just two years after he made headlines for streaking during the 2014 World Cup final between Germany and Argentina with 'Natural Born Prankster' written on his body. He also invaded the pitch during the 2022 World Cup quarter-final between Argentina and the Netherlands with a message reading 'Vitaly the GOAT'. However, it appears as though the 33-year-old's antics eventually drove a wedge between himself and Wolanski, who told the Residency Podcast in 2023: "Vitaly's great guy, we were best friends and we had the same career. But there's only one star in the show. Once I got my career, that was really hard on Vitaly. It got weird and competitive." While Wolanski has taken a less controversial approach to creating content, Vitaly has continued to find himself in hot water with the law for his social media antics. The streamer is set to face criminal charges after being arrested at Bonifacio Global City on April 2 for allegedly harassing members of the public and security guards during a live stream on Kick. He remains detained in the Philippines as he awaits trial. 'Flirty messages' from Liverpool stars Wolanski claimed that she received flirtatious messages from several Liverpool players following her Champions League final antics. She said: "I'm not revealing any names, but a couple of the Liverpool players did send me private flirty messages after I streaked the game. "One sent some heart emojis and the other one a message saying, 'I saw you at the game.' I honestly didn't even know who they were until I clicked on their profiles." Showing loyalty to her then-boyfriend, Wolanski added: "I didn't respond, though, as I already have a boyfriend." Training with a UFC star While she has never had a professional MMA fight, Wolanski did once train with former bantamweight UFC champion Cody Garbrandt. With a record of 14-6, 'No Love' will go down in history as one of the greatest to ever compete at his weight class, with his world title-winning fight with Dominick Cruz living fondly in the memories of fans worldwide. As part of a YouTube series called Pro Athletes Unfiltered, which saw Wolanski try her hand at a variety of sports alongside seasoned pros, she stepped into the octagon with Garbrandt for a spot of MMA training. In a video that captured the event, Wolanski was taught some wrestling moves while also taking down Garbrandt. Elsewhere in the series, Wolanski enjoyed off-season training with Major League Baseball star Miguel Rojas, ran track with athlete Chari Hawkins and made a splash with Olympic gold-medallist, Michael Andrew. A harrowing accident and thrill-seeking Away from content creation, Wolanski has also spent time living life on the edge as a certified skydiver. However, the adrenaline-fuelled activity doesn't come without its risks, as the 28-year-old found out the hard way. Taking to social media to recount an accident she suffered while skydiving, she said: "For all those asking how I broke my ankle. It was a really windy day skydiving, and I dropped 20ft straight onto my ankle on the landing." Undeterred, Wolanski has chased thrills via several different avenues - working as a stuntwoman and earning a pilot's licence. Speaking about taking to the skies, Wolanski said: "Getting my pilot's licence was one of the most challenging but rewarding things I have ever done. "I flew for 112 hours before taking my final check ride exam. You have to pass three exams. An intense written exam, an oral exam on the ground, and lastly, the in-flight exam. This entire process took me 1.5 years." Fast-forward to 2025, and Wolanski has a successful YouTube channel dedicated to her flying with more than 260,000 subscribers. On this channel, she frequently uploads videos from the cockpit of her single-engine Piper Archer. Elsewhere, Wolanski has graced the pages of Sports Illustrated and Maxim, launched an OnlyFans channel, and started her own gym-wear brand, all while also working in the real estate sector. Speaking about her ambitions in the past, she said: "By the time I'm 30, I plan on making enough money to retire, and streaking at the Champions League will only help me achieve that. "After I was released from jail, I had gone from 300,000 followers on Instagram to over two million. You can't buy that kind of publicity. Suddenly, I was famous all over the world and had job offers flooding in. I don't think I did anyone any harm, it was just a bit of fun."
Yomiuri Shimbun
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Russia and Ukraine Complete Prisoner Swap Hours after Moscow Launches Major Aerial Assault
The Associated Press Ukrainian serviceman Vitaly kisses his wife, Olena, after returning from captivity during a POWs exchange between Russia and Ukraine, in Chernyhiv region, Ukraine, Sunday, May 25, 2025. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia and Ukraine swapped hundreds more prisoners on Sunday, the third and last part of a major exchange that reflected a rare moment of cooperation in otherwise failed efforts to reach a ceasefire in the more than three years of war. Hours earlier, the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and other regions came under a massive Russian drone-and-missile attack that killed at least 12 people and injured dozens. Ukrainian officials described it as the largest aerial assault since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Late Sunday, Ukrainian cities came under attack for a third straight night with Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reporting that air defense forces were working in the capital against enemy drones. Oleh Syniehubov, the head of the Kharkiv military administration, said Kharkiv and its suburbs were also under attack by drones. Information about victims was being clarified, Syniehubov said, urging residents to 'stay safe places until the end of the alarm.' Earlier, Russia's Defense Ministry said each side exchanged 303 soldiers, following the release of 307 combatants and civilians each on Saturday, and 390 on Friday — the biggest total swap of the war. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed Sunday's exchange, saying on X that '303 Ukrainian defenders are home.' He noted that the troops returning to Ukraine were members of the 'Armed Forces, the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service, and the State Special Transport Service.' Nataliya Borovyk, the sister of released Ukrainian soldier Ihor Ulesov, was overwhelmed when she learned of her brother's return. 'My uncle had to calm me down and put me in a taxi so I could get here,' she told The Associated Press. 'A moment like that stays with you forever.' Borovyk said the family had been waiting anxiously for news, and that she had hoped her brother might be released in the first part of the exchange on Friday. 'We were worried about all the guys. He wasn't there on Friday, but I was here — I at least greeted them, I stood there until the very end and waited, (hoping) maybe he would appear after all.' In talks held in Istanbul earlier this month — the first time the two sides met face to face for peace talks — Kyiv and Moscow agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners of war and civilian detainees each. The exchange has been the only tangible outcome from the talks. Largest aerial attack of the war The scale of the onslaught was stunning — Russia hit Ukraine with 367 drones and missiles, the largest single aerial attack of the war, according to Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Air Force. In all, Russia used 69 missiles of various types and 298 drones, including Iranian-designed Shahed drones, he told The Associated Press. There was no immediate comment from Moscow on the strikes. For Kyiv, the day was particularly somber as the city observed Kyiv Day, a national holiday that falls on the last Sunday in May, commemorating its founding in the 5th century, Zelenskyy said Russian missiles and drones hit more than 30 cities and villages, and urged Western partners to ramp up sanctions on Russia — a longstanding demand of the Ukrainian leader but one that despite warnings to Moscow by the United States and Europe has not materialized in ways to deter Russia. 'These were deliberate strikes on ordinary cities,' Zelenskyy wrote on X, adding that Sunday's targets included Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil, Chernihiv, Sumy, Odesa, Poltava, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Cherkasy regions. 'America's silence, the silence of others in the world, only encourages' Russian President Vladimir Putin, he said. 'Without truly strong pressure on the Russian leadership, this brutality cannot be stopped. Sanctions will certainly help.' President Donald Trump on Sunday evening said he is not happy with Putin. 'I've known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he's sending rockets into cities and killing people and I don't like it at all,' he told reporters after leaving his New Jersey golf club. Keith Kellogg, Washington's special envoy to Ukraine, condemned the Russian attacks on X, calling it 'a clear violation' of the Geneva Protocols. 'These attacks are shameful. Stop the killing. Ceasefire now.' Russia's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its air defenses shot down 110 Ukrainian drones overnight. 'Sleepless night' Sounds of explosions boomed throughout the night in Kyiv and the surrounding area as Ukrainian air defense persisted for hours in efforts to shoot down Russian drones and missiles. At least four people were killed and 16 were injured in the capital itself, according to the security service. 'A difficult Sunday morning in Ukraine after a sleepless night,' Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X, adding that the assault 'lasted all night.' Fires broke out in homes and businesses, set off by falling drone debris. In Zhytomyr region, west of Kyiv, the emergency service said three children were killed, aged 8, 12 and 17. Twelve people were injured in the attacks, it said. At least four people were killed in the Khmelnytskyi region, in western Ukraine. One man was killed in Mykolaiv region, in southern Ukraine. Kyiv Mayor Klitschko said a student dormitory in Holosiivskyi district was hit by a drone and one of the building's walls was on fire. In Dniprovskyi district, a private house was destroyed and in Shevchenkivskyi district, windows in a residential building were smashed. The scale of Russia's use of aerial weapons aside, the attacks over the past 48 hours have been among the most intense strikes on Ukraine since the February 2022 invasion. A village engulfed in smoke and rubble In Markhalivka, just outside Kyiv where several village homes were burned down, the Fedorenkos watched their ruined home in tears. 'The street looks like Bakhmut, like Mariupol, it's just terrible,' said 76-year-old Liubov Fedorenko, comparing their village to some of Ukraine's most devastated cities. She told the AP she was grateful her daughter and grandchildren hadn't joined them for the weekend. 'I was trying to persuade my daughter to come to us,' Fedorenko said, adding that she told her daughter, 'After all, you live on the eighth floor in Kyiv, and here it's the ground floor.'' 'She said, 'No, mum, I'm not coming.' And thank God she didn't come, because the rocket hit (the house) on the side where the children's rooms were,' Fedorenko said. No halt in fighting The POW exchange was the latest of scores of swaps since the war began but also the biggest involving Ukrainian civilians. Still, it has not halted the fighting. Battles have continued along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, where tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed, and neither country has relented in its deep strikes. Russia's Defense Ministry quoted Yaroslav Yakimkin of the 'North' group of Russian forces as saying Sunday that Ukrainian troops have been pushed back from the border in the Kursk region, which Putin visited days ago. 'The troops continue to advance forward every day,' Yakimkin said, adding that Russian forces have taken Marine and Loknya in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy region, which borders Kursk, over the past week, and were advancing in the Kharkiv region around the largely destroyed town of Vovchansk. Speaking on Russian state TV on Sunday, a Russian serviceman said that Putin was reportedly flying over the Kursk region in a helicopter when the area came under intense Ukrainian drone attack during his visit. Putin's helicopter was 'virtually at the epicenter of repelling a large-scale attack by the enemy's drones,' said Yuri Dashkin, described as commander of a Russian air defense division. He added that Russian air defense units shot down 46 drones during the incident.
Japan Today
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
Russia and Ukraine complete prisoner swap hours after Moscow launches major aerial assault
Ukrainian serviceman Vitaly kisses his wife, Olena, after returning from captivity during a POWs exchange between Russia and Ukraine, in Chernyhiv region, Ukraine, Sunday, May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) By SAMYA KULLAB and OLEKSII YEROSHENKO Russia and Ukraine swapped hundreds more prisoners on Sunday, the third and last part of a major exchange that reflected a rare moment of cooperation in otherwise failed efforts to reach a ceasefire in the more than three years of war. Hours earlier, the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and other regions came under a massive Russian drone-and-missile attack that killed at least 12 people and injured dozens. Ukrainian officials described it as the largest aerial assault since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia's Defense Ministry said each side exchanged 303 soldiers, following the release of 307 combatants and civilians each on Saturday, and 390 on Friday — the biggest total swap of the war. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed Sunday's exchange, saying on X that '303 Ukrainian defenders are home." He noted that the troops returning to Ukraine were members of the 'Armed Forces, the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service, and the State Special Transport Service.' Nataliya Borovyk, the sister of released Ukrainian soldier Ihor Ulesov, was overwhelmed when she learned of her brother's return. 'My uncle had to calm me down and put me in a taxi so I could get here,' she told The Associated Press. 'A moment like that stays with you forever.' Borovyk said the family had been waiting anxiously for news, and that she had hoped her brother might be released in the first part of the exchange on Friday. 'We were worried about all the guys. He wasn't there on Friday, but I was here — I at least greeted them, I stood there until the very end and waited, (hoping) maybe he would appear after all.' In talks held in Istanbul earlier this month — the first time the two sides met face to face for peace talks — Kyiv and Moscow agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners of war and civilian detainees each. The exchange has been the only tangible outcome from the talks. The scale of the onslaught was stunning — Russia hit Ukraine with 367 drones and missiles, the largest single aerial attack of the war, according to Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Air Force. In all, Russia used 69 missiles of various types and 298 drones, including Iranian-designed Shahed drones, he told The Associated Press. There was no immediate comment from Moscow on the strikes. For Kyiv, the day was particularly somber as the city observed Kyiv Day, a national holiday that falls on the last Sunday in May, commemorating its founding in the 5th century, Zelenskyy said Russian missiles and drones hit more than 30 cities and villages, and urged Western partners to ramp up sanctions on Russia — a longstanding demand of the Ukrainian leader but one that despite warnings to Moscow by the United States and Europe has not materialized in ways to deter Russia. 'These were deliberate strikes on ordinary cities," Zelenskyy wrote on X, adding that Sunday's targets included Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil, Chernihiv, Sumy, Odesa, Poltava, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Cherkasy regions. 'America's silence, the silence of others in the world, only encourages" Russian President Vladimir Putin, he said. 'Without truly strong pressure on the Russian leadership, this brutality cannot be stopped. Sanctions will certainly help." Keith Kellogg, Washington's special envoy to Ukraine, condemned the Russian attacks on X, calling it 'a clear violation' of the Geneva Protocols. 'These attacks are shameful. Stop the killing. Ceasefire now.' Russia's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its air defenses shot down 110 Ukrainian drones overnight. Sounds of explosions boomed throughout the night in Kyiv and the surrounding area as Ukrainian air defense persisted for hours in efforts to shoot down Russian drones and missiles. At least four people were killed and 16 were injured in the capital itself, according to the security service. 'A difficult Sunday morning in Ukraine after a sleepless night,' Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X, adding that the assault 'lasted all night.' Fires broke out in homes and businesses, set off by falling drone debris. In Zhytomyr region, west of Kyiv, the emergency service said three children were killed, aged 8, 12 and 17. Twelve people were injured in the attacks, it said. At least four people were killed in the Khmelnytskyi region, in western Ukraine. One man was killed in Mykolaiv region, in southern Ukraine. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a student dormitory in Holosiivskyi district was hit by a drone and one of the building's walls was on fire. In Dniprovskyi district, a private house was destroyed and in Shevchenkivskyi district, windows in a residential building were smashed. The scale of Russia's use of aerial weapons aside, the attacks over the past 48 hours have been among the most intense strikes on Ukraine since the February 2022 invasion. In Markhalivka, just outside Kyiv where several village homes were burned down, the Fedorenkos watched their ruined home in tears. 'The street looks like Bakhmut, like Mariupol, it's just terrible,' said 76-year-old Liubov Fedorenko, comparing their village to some of Ukraine's most devastated cities. She told the AP she was grateful her daughter and grandchildren hadn't joined them for the weekend. 'I was trying to persuade my daughter to come to us," Fedorenko said, adding that she told her daughter, 'After all, you live on the eighth floor in Kyiv, and here it's the ground floor.'' "She said, 'No, mum, I'm not coming.' And thank God she didn't come, because the rocket hit (the house) on the side where the children's rooms were,' Fedorenko said. Ivan Fedorenko, 80, said he regrets letting their two dogs into the house when the air raid siren went off. 'They burned to death,' he said. "I want to bury them, but I'm not allowed yet.' The POW exchange was the latest of scores of swaps since the war began but also the biggest involving Ukrainian civilians. Still, it has not halted the fighting. Battles have continued along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, where tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed, and neither country has relented in its deep strikes. Russia's Defense Ministry quoted Yaroslav Yakimkin of the 'North' group of Russian forces as saying Sunday that Ukrainian troops have been pushed back from the border in the Kursk region, which Putin visited days ago. 'The troops continue to advance forward every day,' Yakimkin said, adding that Russian forces have taken Marine and Loknya in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy region, which borders Kursk, over the past week, and were advancing in the Kharkiv region around the largely destroyed town of Vovchansk. Speaking on Russian state TV on Sunday, a Russian serviceman said that Putin was reportedly flying over the Kursk region in a helicopter when the area came under intense Ukrainian drone attack during his visit. Putin's helicopter was 'virtually at the epicenter of repelling a large-scale attack by the enemy's drones,' said Yuri Dashkin, described as commander of a Russian air defense division. He added that Russian air defense units shot down 46 drones during the incident. Associated Press writers Elise Morton in London and Volodymyr Yurchuk in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Daily Mail
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Moment Ukrainian soldier kisses his wife after being freed during Russia and Ukraine's swap of over 300 more prisoners
A Ukrainian prisoner of war broke down in tears as he lovingly kissed his wife after he was freed in an exchange with Russia today. Serviceman Vitaly embraced his wife Olena in the third and last part of a major exchange that reflected a rare moment of cooperation in otherwise failed efforts to reach a ceasefire in the more than three years of war. He was one of several hundred soldiers to have been swapped only hours after a major Russian drone-and-missile attack struck the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and other regions, killing at least 13 people and injured dozens. Russia 's Defence Ministry said each side brought home 303 more soldiers, after each released a total of 307 combatants and civilians on Saturday, and 390 on Friday - the biggest swap of the war. Crowds welcomed the soldiers home, who were draped in the bright colours of the Ukrainian flag. Others held up photos of missing loved ones to the returned servicemen, hopeful they might be able to tell them anything about the men pictured. Medics were also at the scene to attend to the POWs as the soldiers filed out from buses to an undisclosed location. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the exchange, saying on X on Sunday that '303 Ukrainian defenders are home.' He was one of several hundred soldiers to have been swapped in the third and last part of a major exchange that reflected a rare moment of cooperation He noted that the troops returning to Ukraine were members of the 'Armed Forces, the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service, and the State Special Transport Service'. The POW exchange was the latest of scores of swaps since the war began but also the biggest involving Ukrainian civilians. In talks held in Istanbul earlier this month - the first time the two sides met face to face for peace talks - Kyiv and Moscow agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners of war and civilian detainees each. The exchange has been the only tangible outcome from the talks. Ukrainian officials described last night's onslought as the largest aerial assault since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with the Kremlin firing 367 drones and missiles. In all, Russia used 69 missiles of various types and 298 drones, including Iranian-designed Shahed drones. There was no immediate comment from Moscow on the strikes. For Kyiv, the day was particularly somber as the city observed Kyiv Day, a national holiday that falls on the last Sunday in May, commemorating its founding in the 5th century. Zelenskyy said Russian missiles and drones hit more than 30 cities and villages, and urged Western partners to ramp up sanctions on Russia - a longstanding demand of the Ukrainian leader but one that despite warnings to Moscow by the United States and Europe has not materialized in ways to deter Russia. 'These were deliberate strikes on ordinary cities,' Zelenskyy wrote on X, adding that Sunday's targets included Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil, Chernihiv, Sumy, Odesa, Poltava, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Cherkasy regions. 'America's silence, the silence of others in the world, only encourages' Russian President Vladimir Putin, he said. 'Without truly strong pressure on the Russian leadership, this brutality cannot be stopped. Sanctions will certainly help.' Sounds of explosions boomed throughout the night in Kyiv and the surrounding area as Ukrainian air defence persisted for hours in efforts to shoot down Russian drones and missiles. At least four people were killed and 16 were injured in the capital itself, according to the security service. 'A difficult Sunday morning in Ukraine after a sleepless night,' Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X, adding that the assault 'lasted all night.' Fires broke out in homes and businesses, set off by falling drone debris. In Zhytomyr region, west of Kyiv, the emergency service said three children were killed, aged eight, 12 and 17. Twelve people were injured in the attacks, it said. At least four people were killed in the Khmelnytskyi region, in western Ukraine. One man was killed in Mykolaiv region, in southern Ukraine. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a student dormitory in Holosiivskyi district was hit by a drone and one of the building's walls was on fire. In Dniprovskyi district, a private house was destroyed and in Shevchenkivskyi district, windows in a residential building were smashed. In Markhalivka, just outside Kyiv where several village homes were burned down, the Fedorenkos watched their ruined home in tears. 'The street looks like Bakhmut, like Mariupol, it's just terrible,' said 76-year-old Liubov Fedorenko, comparing their village to some of Ukraine's most devastated cities. She said she was grateful her daughter and grandchildren hadn't joined them for the weekend. 'I was trying to persuade my daughter to come to us,' Fedorenko said, adding that she told her daughter, 'after all, you live on the eighth floor in Kyiv, and here it's the ground floor.'' 'She said, `No, mum, I'm not coming.' And thank God she didn't come, because the rocket hit [the house] on the side where the children's rooms were,' Fedorenko said. Ivan Fedorenko, 80, said he regrets letting their two dogs into the house when the air raid siren went off. 'They burned to death,' he said. 'I want to bury them, but I'm not allowed yet.' Battles have continued along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, where tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed, and neither country has relented in its deep strikes. Russia's Defense Ministry quoted Yaroslav Yakimkin of the 'North' group of Russian forces as saying Sunday that Ukrainian troops have been pushed back from the border in the Kursk region, which Putin visited days ago. 'The troops continue to advance forward every day,' Yakimkin said, adding that Russian forces have taken Marine and Loknya in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy region, which borders Kursk, over the past week, and were advancing in the Kharkiv region around the largely destroyed town of Vovchansk. Speaking on Russian state TV on Sunday, a Russian serviceman said that Putin was reportedly flying over the Kursk region in a helicopter when the area came under intense Ukrainian drone attack during his visit. Putin's helicopter was 'virtually at the epicenter of repelling a large-scale attack by the enemy's drones,' said Yuri Dashkin, described as commander of a Russian air defense division.
