UKRAINIAN DRONE STRIKE IGNITES FIRE AT RUSSIAN OIL DEPOT AS ZELENSKYY CONFIRMS PRISONER SWAP. (PHOTO).

 Ukrainian drone strike ignites fire at Russian oil depot as Zelenskyy confirms prisoner swap

A Ukrainian drone attack during the night struck an oil depot near Sochi, Russia, causing a large fire and prompting a major emergency response. According to Krasnodar regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev, debris from a downed drone hit a fuel tank, sparking the blaze. More than 120 firefighters worked to contain the fire, and videos shared on social media showed tall plumes of black smoke rising over the facility. The incident forced authorities to temporarily halt flights at Sochi’s airport. Separately, in Russia’s Voronezh region, local officials reported that four people were injured during another drone strike. Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that its air defense forces intercepted 93 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory and the Black Sea overnight.

In Ukraine, a Russian missile strike hit a residential area in the southern city of Mykolaiv, leaving seven people wounded, according to the State Emergency Services. Ukrainian military officials said Russia launched 76 drones and seven missiles overnight, with Ukrainian air defenses intercepting 60 drones and one missile. However, the remaining drones and six missiles struck targets across eight locations. These attacks came just days after a deadly Russian strike on Thursday killed 31 people, including five children, and injured more than 150. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to exchange 1,200 prisoners, following negotiations in Istanbul in July. He stated that lists of those to be exchanged are being finalized, emphasizing efforts to secure the return of Ukrainian civilians. This marks another prisoner swap following several rounds of talks this year, though no progress has been made toward establishing a ceasefire.