Ukraine and Russia Begin New Prisoner Exchange Amid Ongoing Conflict
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Monday the start of a new prisoner exchange with Russia. The process will occur in multiple stages over the coming days, with Kyiv already receiving the first group of captives.
Zelenskyy stated that the exchanged prisoners include the wounded, severely injured, and those under 25 years old. Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed it had returned a group of Ukrainian prisoners all under 25 years of age as part of the first stage of the agreement reached during recent talks in Istanbul.
Despite the prisoner swap marking a rare positive development, broader peace negotiations remain stalled. Fighting continues fiercely along the approximately 600-mile front line stretching across eastern Ukraine. Moscow reported territorial gains in eastern Ukraine following a large-scale drone attack in retaliation for Kyiv’s recent strike on Russian military aircraft.
The prisoner exchange offers a brief respite amid ongoing tensions and military escalation between the two countries.
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