Ukraine intends to retrieve approximately 500 prisoners of war through a upcoming exchange with Russia, as stated by President Zelensky.
Here's the lowdown:
Ukraine's set to bring home around 500 POWs from Russian custody, President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed at a press confab on June 4, as reported by the Kyiv Independent. Here's the scoop on this latest exchange.
According to Zelensky, the swapped prisoners will be released this weekend, following consultations between teams from both sides. This upcoming exchange comes after a massive 1,000-for-1,000 swap that went down between May 23 and 25, marking the biggest prisoner exchange of the war so far.
The new agreement was made during the second round of direct talks on June 2. Though Ukraine hasn't received the list of names yet, Moscow promised to share it in advance, as contrasted with the Istanbul talks in the past.
However, controversy swirled around a previous prisoner exchange list that apparently included Anatolii Taranenko, a Ukrainian serviceman accused of colluding with Russia. Critics claim the exchange failed to secure the release of Azov fighters and long-time captives, fueling speculation and alleging that Ukraine fell short.
After the June 2 talks, Russia also agreed to hand over 6,000 fallen Ukrainian soldiers' and officers' remains to Ukraine. Preparations for the body exchange will kick off after the POW swap.
Ukraine has been vocal about its call for an "all-for-all" formula in prisoner swaps, aiming to rescue every Ukrainian soldier in captivity. Regrettably, Russia has rejected this proposal. Keep your eyes peeled for updates on this developing situation!
While we strive to bring you accurate information, there have been consistent claims of falsehoods surrounding prisoner exchanges between Ukraine and Russia, as reported by Ukraine's POW authority. For the most current and reliable updates, check out official statements from Ukrainian or Russian government sources or trusted news outlets reporting on the conflict.
War-and-conflicts dominated the headlines again as Ukraine and Russia continued their prisoner exchange negotiations. Politics played a significant role in the ongoing talks, with both sides attempting to secure favorable terms in the swaps. general-news outlets followed the developments closely, providing updates on the latest exchanges and potential reasons for the continued departure from the "all-for-all" formula proposed by Ukraine.
