Latest news with #prisonerexchange
Reuters
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Russia and Ukraine swap more POWs in second exchange in two days
MOSCOW/KYIV, June 20 (Reuters) - Russia and Ukraine completed another round of prisoner exchanges on Friday, officials in both countries said, part of a recent agreement to swap POWs and the bodies of dead soldiers. Neither Russian nor Ukrainian officials specified how many people were involved in the exchange, the second in two days. Writing on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said most of his country's POWs had been held by Russia for more than two years, and had been captured across various parts of the sprawling front line. Russia's defence ministry said the Russian POWs included in the exchange were currently in Belarus, which shares borders with both warring countries. The two countries have carried out a series of swaps of captured troops and the remains of dead soldiers since renewing peace talks in Istanbul last month after a gap of more than three years.
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Russia, Ukraine say new POW exchange completed
Russia and Ukraine said Thursday that they had completed another exchange of captured soldiers, part of a deal reached earlier in June at peace talks in Istanbul. During the talks, the first direct negotiations between the sides in three years, both countries agreed to free more than 1,000 prisoners of war from each side -- all wounded, ill or under 25 years old. But neither side said how many soldiers had been freed in Thursday's exchange, the latest in several swaps since the June 2 talks. 'Our people are returning home from Russian captivity,' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on social media. The Ukrainian government agency overseeing the exchanges said it involved 'seriously ill and wounded' soldiers. Most of the Ukrainians had been captured in the first months of Russia's 2022 invasion and had developed 'serious medical conditions and illnesses' including dystrophy, ulcers, vision problems, musculoskeletal disorders and cardiovascular diseases, Ukraine said. Russia's defense ministry confirmed the exchange, posting pictures of soldiers draped in Russian flags cheering and waving. Zelenskyy posted similar photos of freed Ukrainian soldiers, crying, smiling and calling loved ones after being swapped. Moscow has rejected Ukrainian calls for an unconditional ceasefire at the talks, demanding instead that Kyiv cede more territory and renounce Western military support as a precondition for peace.
Reuters
a day ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Ukraine and Russia exchange POWs in latest swap
KYIV, June 19 (Reuters) - Ukraine and Russia exchanged prisoners of war on Thursday, officials from both countries said, the latest round of swaps under an agreement struck in Istanbul. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy posted images of the freed Ukrainian troops, smiling and draped in the national flag, most of whom had been held captive since the early months of Russia's February 2022 invasion, he said. The Ukrainian POWs exchanged on Thursday were sick or injured, according to Kyiv's coordinating council for POWs. The Russian POWs would also be sent for treatment and rehabilitation, Moscow's defence ministry said. Neither Ukraine nor Russia, whose talks on ending the war have yielded few results besides the exchange of prisoners or remains, provided an exact figure of how many POWs had been exchanged.
Arab News
a day ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Russia, Ukraine say have completed fresh POW exchange
KYIV: Russia and Ukraine said Thursday they had completed another exchange of captured soldiers, part of an agreement reached earlier in June at peace talks in Istanbul. 'Our people are returning home from Russian captivity,' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media, as Russia's defense ministry also confirmed the exchange. Neither side said how many soldiers had been freed.
Reuters
a day ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Russia and Ukraine exchange POWs, Russian news agencies report
MOSCOW, June 19 (Reuters) - Russia and Ukraine have carried out another exchange of prisoners of war, Russian news agencies reported on Thursday, citing a statement from Russia's Defence Ministry.
