Moscow:
In a significant development, Russia and Ukraine swapped 1,000 prisoners on Sunday, as confirmed by both the Russian Ministry of Defense and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This marked the largest exchange since the onset of the conflict three years ago.
The three-day exchange began on Friday, initially involving 120 civilians from each side, predominantly those detained. By Sunday, they completed the transaction of 303 military personnel.
“Today, our military, the National Guard, the State Border Patrol, and the warriors of the state’s special transport services are returning home,” Zelensky shared via the Telegram messaging platform.
This exchange represented the sole tangible advancement towards peace following the first in-person discussions between the conflicting parties in over three years, which ended without a ceasefire agreement on May 16th.
Ukraine, along with the US and various Western allies, is advocating for a 30-day cessation of hostilities to facilitate peace talks without any conditions attached.
It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of soldiers from both sides have suffered injuries or fatalities in this ongoing conflict, which has become the deadliest in Europe since World War II. However, neither side has released precise casualty figures.
Tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians have also lost their lives due to the artillery strikes and encirclement by Russian troops.
On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Moscow is prepared to propose a long-term peace agreement to Ukraine following the successful exchange.
Amidst this, Russian forces reportedly killed at least 12 individuals and injured many more in various Ukrainian cities, including the capital, Kyiv, during the most extensive air assault of the conflict thus far, according to officials.
The Russian Ministry of Defense noted that its air defense units managed to intercept or destroy 95 Ukrainian drones within a span of four hours. Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, indicated that 12 drones were intercepted while heading towards the capital.
