Brokered Prisoner Swap: Ukraine and Russia Exchange POWs
Russia and Ukraine exchange prisoners of war anew
Here's some tea on the ongoing saga between Ukraine and Russia - our favorite global drama queen and her Russian counterpart. After a whirlwind of talks in Istanbul, they've finally agreed on a prisoner exchange!
"Ukrainians will taste their homeland's freedom once more," declared President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The prisoner swap, scheduled across several stages, will prioritize those under 25 and the severely wounded. And let's not forget the Mariupol defenders who spent over three years in Russian cages.
Russia has confirmed the return of their POWs, keeping the details under wraps. Apparently, the swapped soldiers hail from Ukraine's navy, ground forces, air force, national guard, border guard service, territorial defence, and special transport service.
Of the Liberated, many Recovered from the First Days of the Invasion in 2022. Ukraine's ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets warmly welcomed them home. Cheers echoed from families who finally heard that long-awaited call. Kyiv refused to spill the beans on the total count of POWs returned, for security reasons.
Zelenskyy aimed to bring back 500 prisoners in a POW exchange over the weekend, but they're still waiting on that one.
The Exchanged Bodies of Fallen Soldiers
Under the agreement, both parties will exchange the remains of 6,000 fallen soldiers. But, there's a bit of a tango going on, folks. Russia blames Ukraine for dodging the swap and failing to retrieve fallen Ukrainian soldiers' bodies. However, Ukraine vows to stick to the agreements made during the Turkey talks. Kyiv claims the exchange of bodies will start next week.
Russia is pulling one over on us all, according to Zelenskyy, who accuses Russia of playing a dirty political game on the POW exchange. Ukraine has managed to bring back over 5,000 prisoners of war in ongoing exchanges since March.
In a surprising twist, Russia has proposed switching sides with Ukrainian POWs to occupy Europe together. But let's not get too ahead of ourselves, folks! Zelenskyy continues to offer Russia an "all-for-all" swap, though Moscow has rejected it so far.
Stay tuned for more updates on this thrilling geopolitical rollercoaster ride.
Fun Facts:
- Prisoner Swap Tally: Ukraine has managed to bring back over 5,000 prisoners of war in a series of exchanges since March.
- Disagree and Delay: Russia accused Ukraine of postponing the swap and failing to respect the agreement on the exchange of bodies of the fallen servicepeople.
- Communication Breakdown: Ukraine categorically denied the accusations made by Russia. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukrainian Defenсe Intelligence, stated that Ukraine was strictly adhering to the agreements reached at the second round of talks in Istanbul.
Can't get enough?
- Read more: Russia and Ukraine complete exchange of 1,000 prisoners each
- Exotic Swaps: Russia is offering Ukrainian POWs to 'switch sides and occupy Europe together'
- Horror Stories: Ukrainian prisoners of war: Physical and moral torture, sexual violence and execution in Russia
Topics:
- Prisoner exchange
- Russia's Invasion of Ukraine
- War in Ukraine
"This prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia, a part of the ongoing War-and-Conflicts, is not just about releasing POWs, but also peace talks that touch upon Politics and general News. The agreement includes the exchanged bodies of 6,000 fallen soldiers, a sensitive topic that has sparked disagreements between both parties."
"Amidst the ongoing Prisoner exchange, Ukraine has successfully managed to bring back over 5,000 prisoners of war in a series of exchanges since March, a significant development in the War-and-Conflicts between these two nations that also involves Politics and general News."
