Russia and Ukraine Complete Prisoner Exchange, Easing Tensions
Kyiv, Ukraine: In a move aimed at reducing tensions, Russia and Ukraine successfully exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war on Wednesday. This development comes just a week after Moscow accused Kyiv of shooting down a plane carrying captured Ukrainian soldiers.
According to Russia’s defense ministry, 195 of its soldiers were freed in the exchange. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that a total of 207 individuals, including both soldiers and civilians, had returned to Ukraine. Zelensky expressed his relief, stating on social media, “Our people are back. 207 of them. We return them home no matter what.”
The circumstances surrounding the plane crash that triggered the recent escalation remain uncertain. The Russian Il-76 military cargo plane was downed near the western border with Ukraine. Moscow claims that 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war were killed and blames Kyiv’s forces for shooting down the aircraft. While Kyiv has not outright denied these allegations, it has called on Moscow to provide evidence, such as photos of the bodies, to support its claims.
The incident had cast doubt on the future of prisoner exchanges between the two sides. However, Wednesday’s successful swap marked the 50th exchange since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, signaling a commitment to ongoing negotiations.
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