Russia, Ukraine Complete Largest Prisoner Swap As Attacks Intensify
Russia and Ukraine have carried out the largest prisoner exchange since the onset of the war in 2022, with each side releasing 1,000 detainees over a three-day period that ended Sunday, officials from both countries confirmed.
The swap, which included mostly prisoners of war and 120 civilians from each side, concluded on Sunday with the exchange of 303 individuals.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy praised the return of personnel from various national services, including the Armed Forces, National Guard, Border Guard, and Special Transport Service.
“Today, warriors…are returning home,” Zelenskiy announced via Telegram.
The exchange marked the only tangible outcome from the first face-to-face talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials in over three years, held on May 16.
Those talks ended without agreement on a ceasefire, though Western nations, including the United States, continue to press for an unconditional 30-day pause in hostilities to facilitate peace negotiations.
Despite the symbolic breakthrough, violence has continued to escalate. Russian forces launched their most extensive aerial assault of the war over the weekend, firing 367 drones and missiles across Ukraine, including the capital, Kyiv.
Ukrainian officials reported at least 12 fatalities and dozens of injuries from the overnight bombardment.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defences shot down 95 Ukrainian drones in four hours. Moscow’s Mayor Sergei Sobyanin also reported the interception of 12 drones aimed at the Russian capital.
On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that once the prisoner exchange concluded, Russia would present Ukraine with a draft proposal for a long-term peace agreement.
The war, now in its third year, has caused hundreds of thousands of military casualties and the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians.
Russia, Ukraine Complete Largest Prisoner Swap As Attacks Intensify is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
