All articles tagged with #pow exchange
Ukraine denies delaying a prisoner exchange with Russia amid ongoing accusations, while Russia launches a massive air assault on Ukraine, including a claimed downing of a Russian Su-35 by Ukraine, as both sides exchange blame and escalate military actions in the ongoing conflict.
Ukraine's SBU released a video showing the return of 75 prisoners of war from Russian captivity as part of a May 31 exchange. This marks the first exchange since February, following President Zelensky's instructions. Among the freed are soldiers, civilians, and police officers, many with injuries or disabilities. The Coordination Center for the Treatment of Prisoners of War facilitated the exchange, with significant help from the UAE. Despite this, nearly 2,000 Ukrainian POWs remain in Russian prisons.
Russia and Ukraine conducted their first prisoner of war (POW) exchange in three months, each returning 75 POWs, including civilians, and also swapped the bodies of fallen soldiers. This marks the fourth exchange this year and the 52nd since the war began. The United Arab Emirates helped negotiate the swap, which saw emotional reunions and highlighted ongoing humanitarian concerns, including reports of mistreatment and torture of POWs.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy visited Saudi Arabia to discuss a peace plan and the exchange of prisoners of war with Russia, seeking support from the kingdom's leadership. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has positioned himself as a potential mediator in the conflict, despite close energy ties with Russia. Zelenskyy presented a 10-point peace formula and emphasized the return of POWs and deportees, expressing confidence in the meeting's potential results. The leaders' discussions were not immediately detailed, but Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar have been involved in prisoner exchanges since the war began in 2022.
A Russian military jet crashed in the Belgorod region near the Ukrainian border, killing all 74 people on board, including 65 reported Ukrainian prisoners of war. The cause of the crash and the identity of those on the jet have not been independently verified. Russian officials claim the jet was shot down by Ukrainian forces, while Ukrainian officials have not commented pending analysis. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the POWs were being transported for exchange, but this has not been confirmed. Russia and Ukraine have been exchanging POWs since the war began, with the latest exchange occurring in early January.
Ukraine's Air Force destroyed 20 Russian drones and a missile, causing a fire and one fatality in the Odesa region. Russia claimed to have destroyed or intercepted 35 Ukraine-launched drones over its regions. The Freedom of Russia Legion, a Ukrainian paramilitary group, claimed responsibility for a cross-border attack in Russia's Belgorod region. Drone footage revealed Russian casualties in battles for Avdiivka, with bodies of about 150 soldiers, mostly in Russian uniforms, found. Ukraine's security service launched a criminal investigation after a "technical device" was found in an office. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy announced progress in aligning legislation with the EU, and Putin dismissed Biden's remarks about Russia attacking a NATO country. A US congressional negotiator expressed optimism about a solution, and Finland seeks to imprison a Russian man accused of war crimes in Ukraine.
Head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, did not meet with five Chechen soldiers who were exchanged as prisoners of war with Ukraine, blaming them for being captured and stating that they must prove their honour by returning to the front line. Kadyrov also acknowledged his own fault in not preparing the soldiers for such a situation.