KYIV: Ukraine has received 1,200 bodies of its soldiers killed in the war with Russia, Ukrainian officials responsible for exchanging prisoners of war said on Saturday.

The empire strikes back. Last week, Ukrainian spies destroyed a large chunk of Russia's fearsome nuclear bomber fleet using small, smuggled drones. On Friday, Russia retaliated with some of the largest air raids against Ukraine to date.

After Ukraine’s drone strikes on Russian air bases, the two sides talked for about an hour in Istanbul, and a halt to the fighting seems out of reach for now.

Iran conflict could open opportunities for Russia to possibly become a power broker to help end the confrontation.

A "two week" deadline imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump to see if Russia is serious about peace in Ukraine has come and gone, with Moscow's escalation of attacks on civilians during this period failing to draw the slightest condemnation from the White House.

Russia and Ukraine swapped prisoners of war on Saturday. Moscow returned 1,200 Ukrainian soldiers' bodies but claims it received no Russian war dead from Kyiv.

At least two people were killed and 57 injured in a massive Russian drone attack on Kharkiv overnight, Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday. According to Kharkiv mayor Igor Terekhov, “seventeen strikes by enemy UAVs were carried out in two districts of the city this night”.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says rising global oil prices following Israeli strikes on Iran will strengthen Russia by increasing its oil revenues, aiding its war effort in Ukraine.