Key Factors
- Ukraine and Russia exchanged virtually 500 prisoners of warfare on Wednesday, in a deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates.
- It’s the first prisoner swap in virtually 5 months amid tense peace negotiations.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed the swap as “excellent news”.
Ukraine and Russia revealed an trade of over 200 captive troopers every on Wednesday, in what officers have described as the most important prisoner swap of the warfare to date.
The 2 warring sides have carried out dozens of exchanges since Moscow invaded in February 2022, however the course of stalled within the latter half of final 12 months.
In near-simultaneous statements, Russia and Ukraine introduced they’d obtained over 200 troopers every following talks mediated by the United Arab Emirates.
“Greater than 200 of our troopers and civilians have been returned from Russian captivity,” Zelenskyy stated on Telegram, posting a video of uniformed males celebrating.
Neither aspect had introduced an trade in virtually 5 months, prompting Kyiv to accuse Moscow of intentionally blocking offers for political causes.
“There was a protracted pause within the exchanges, however there was no pause within the negotiations,” Zelenskyy stated in a later message, hailing the swap as “excellent news”.
Moscow’s defence ministry stated 248 of its servicemen had been returned, and that they had been being supplied with “medical and psychological help”.
Among the Ukrainians had been held since 2022.
Amongst them had been a few of those that fought in milestone battles for Ukraine’s Snake Island and the Ukrainian metropolis of Mariupol.
The UAE stated the deal mirrored its “sturdy pleasant relations” with each Russia and Ukraine. Neither aspect has disclosed what number of prisoners stay of their custody.
Frontline strikes proceed regardless of swap
Ukraine launched repeated missile and drone assaults on Wednesday on Russia’s southern area of Belgorod, in keeping with Russia’s defence ministry and native authorities.
Regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov stated the state of affairs “continues to stay tense” in Belgorod, the place Russia says 25 civilians together with 5 youngsters had been killed in Ukrainian assaults on Saturday.
There was no phrase of any casualties from the newest assaults.
Russia vowed to retaliate after Ukraine’s “indiscriminate” assault on Belgorod. Credit score: EPA
Later, Gladkov stated authorities had been relocating residents close to probably unexploded munitions, with sappers known as in to judge the hazard.
Ukraine’s escalation of assaults on Belgorod over the New 12 months interval has come as Russia .
Ukraine stated on Tuesday that Russia had launched greater than 300 assault drones and missiles of varied sorts at cities throughout Ukraine since Friday.
Belgorod, like different Russian areas on the border with Ukraine, has confronted frequent low-level assaults for the reason that begin of the warfare however Saturday’s was by far the deadliest.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated it will “not go unpunished”.
