Russia and Ukraine complete second round of ongoing prisoner swap
Russia and Ukraine exchanged more prisoners of war on Tuesday, both countries said, without giving details of the numbers involved.
The exchange was agreed between the two sides at talks in Istanbul last week, and an initial swap of prisoners under the age of 25 was conducted on Monday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday's exchange saw "the return of our injured and severely wounded warriors from Russian captivity".
Russia's defence ministry said: "In accordance with the Russian-Ukrainian agreements reached on June 2 in Istanbul, the second group of Russian servicemen was returned."
Zelensky said further exchanges would follow.
"The exchanges are to continue. We are doing everything we can to find and return every single person who is in captivity."
The defence ministry in Moscow said the Russians freed in the latest handover were currently in Belarus, which borders both the warring countries, and would be returned to Russia for medical treatment and rehabilitation.
Earlier, the Kremlin said it had been ready for several days to start handing over the bodies of Ukrainian soldiers killed in the war, but that Kyiv was still discussing the details.
The planned transfer of thousands of war dead was the other tangible result of the Istanbul talks, which resumed last month after a gap of more than three years but have made no progress towards a ceasefire.
Russia has said it is ready to hand over the bodies of more than 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers and receive any bodies of Russian soldiers which Kyiv is able to return.
But Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky said on Saturday that the Russian side had shown up at the agreed exchange point with the bodies of 1,212 Ukrainian dead soldiers only to find nobody from Ukraine to take them.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Moscow of "trying to play some kind of dirty political and information game" around the issue of the exchanges.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday: "There is no final understanding. Contact is being made, numbers are being compared. As soon as there is a final understanding, then we hope this exchange will take place."
Russian state media has broadcast images of long white refrigerated trucks, containing bodies sealed in individual white bags, parked up near the border.
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France 24
2 hours ago
- France 24
New Russian bomber spotted in Mali as Wagner Group leaves the country
The Wagner Group, a paramilitary organisation founded in 2014 by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin at the time, has been supporting the Malian Armed Forces (FAMA) in their fight against jihadists in the Sahel region since 2022. However, a short-lived rebellion by the group against the Russian government in June 2023, followed by Prigozhin's death in a plane crash two months later, sealed the mercenaries' estrangement from the Putin administration. The same year, the Russian Ministry of Defence established another paramilitary group, known as the Africa Corps (or Russian Expeditionary Corps). The group is recruiting for missions abroad and is expected to take over from Wagner Group in Mali. On June 6, the Wagner Group announced on its Telegram account channel the completion of its "main mission" in Mali. The group boasted of having "eliminated thousands of militants and their commanders who had terrorised the civilian population for years", and claimed to have "helped local patriots build a strong and disciplined army". Rumours have been circulating on pro-government accounts in Mali for several months suggesting that Su-24M jets have been delivered to the Malian army. The Su-24M is a two-seat, variable-sweep wing tactical bomber. It entered service in 1983, but has never been deployed in Mali. A Su-24M spotted in a satellite image at Bamako airport It turns out the aircraft has been in Mali since at least April 14, 2025. A satellite image taken on that day by Maxar, and provided to FRANCE 24, shows a Su-24M bomber parked on the tarmac in the military section of the Bamako airport. Its folded wings and fuselage shape make the aircraft easily recognisable. Speculation about its deployment had been rife for months, fuelled by numerous rumours (more on that below). But why is there so much interest and misinformation surrounding an old Soviet-made aircraft? This question is especially pertinent given that the Malian army already operates another Soviet-era ground-attack aircraft, the Su-25. What makes the Su-24M's arrival particularly significant, however, is that it arrives alongside a new unit of Russian paramilitary forces, the Africa Corps. The group is set to replace the Wagner Group which announced its departure on Friday, June 6. Africa Corps: Russian pilots behind the Su-24M In a May 20 social media post, the Africa Corps, a group with close ties to the Russian Ministry of Defence, published photos clearly showing the cockpit of a Su-24M. Yet, the Africa Corps does not mention Mali in its statement. The group merely states that the Su-24M jets are 'carrying out bombing strikes against camps of militants of terrorist organisations in an African country'. Africa Corps is also known to be deployed in Mali's neighbouring countries, Burkina Faso and Niger. The arrival of the aircraft coincides with an ongoing change in Russian command in Mali. Mercenaries from the Wagner Group had previously overseen operations in the northern part of the country, but the arrival of new convoys of military equipment has been documented in recent months. These convoys may also be linked to the deployment of the Africa Corps group. 'Russia wants to strike harder' Russia's deployment of Su-24M aircraft signals an intent to increase its aerial bombardment firepower and intensity, according to Red Samovar, an analyst specialising in Russian aviation: Clearly, this deployment indicates Russia wants to strike harder by deploying the Su-24M, which has a higher ammunition capacity than the Su-25 [Editor's note: which the FAMA are currently using]. Given the situation in Mali, it's highly probable Russia has deployed the Su-24M to enable more massive strikes using both unguided and guided bombs, compared to the Su-25. The Su-24M can carry up to seven tons of weaponry [unlike the Su-25, which has a four-ton capacity]. This enables a broader range of mission capabilities. The Su-24M is a tactical bomber designed in the 1970s for very low-altitude flights to penetrate enemy air defences. This deployment suggests a recycling of Russian aircraft no longer needed in Ukraine, where they've been replaced by the Su-34. These older aircraft can still be useful for several more years in less 'demanding' environments. False rumours anticipating a very real deployment For several months, images allegedly showing the Su-24 bomber in Mali have been circulating on social media. For instance, this video shared on X on April 28 by an account favourable to the Malian government, purportedly shows a Su-24 aircraft flying over Bamako. Although this video features a Su-24M aircraft, it was not filmed in Mali, but rather in Russia. The footage was published on YouTube in October 2020 on the RUplanes channel, which is dedicated to Russian military aviation. The video circulating on Malian accounts simply adds a zoom effect but uses the exact same content as the Russian source. Another video, shared on X by another account supportive of Mali's transitional authorities on May 22, also claimed to show a Su-24M aircraft in service with the Malian army. However, the video does not show a Su-24M, but rather an L-39 Albatros, an aircraft in service with the Malian air force. We cannot rule out that the images were taken in Malian airspace, but it is impossible to geolocate the video. Further images of the Sukhoi Su-24 have reportedly been captured from the vicinity of Bamako airport. Among these, a photo dated March 26 appears more credible than previous videos. According to analysts specialising in Sahelian armies, this photo is believed to be a screenshot from a TikTok video taken on the outskirts of Bamako airport. However, the low quality of the image makes it impossible to find the original video and confirm whether the Su-24M was already deployed as early as March 2025.
Euronews
10 hours ago
- Euronews
Bogus Euronews Telegram spreads fakes targeting Romania and Moldova
A Telegram channel activated last Friday and fraudulently branded as Euronews Romania is planting disinformation and false claims targeting the Romanian and Moldovan presidents. Its creators – which have no affiliation or link to Euronews – claim that Romania's recently elected President Nicușor Dan discussed 'methods of combating the opposition press' with his Moldovan counterpart Maia Sandu during his visit to Chișinău on Tuesday. Euroverify analysed both presidents' statements to the press during that visit and found no evidence to back these allegations. Sandu instead accused Russia of waging a 'war of manipulation and misinformation', while Dan vowed closer cooperation on tackling Moscow's 'hybrid warfare'. The unfounded claims made in the bogus channel have been directly quoted in Russian state-sponsored newspaper Pravda. In a pinned post, the creators also purport that the Telegram channel is an 'official' source of Euronews Romania reporting created by the management team to counter the recent use of doctored Euronews reports on the messaging app. However, neither the channel nor its content is the work of Euronews journalists. Euronews Romania does not have an official channel on Telegram, and said in a statement that the action is part of a "sustained' disinformation campaign that 'illegally' uses Euronews' branding. The fake account was created amid an uptick in recent weeks in false videos attributed to Euronews on pro-Russian Telegram channels, which aim to discredit or undermine the pro-European governments in Bucharest and Chișinău. These initially appeared to sow confusion and distrust in the context of last month's tense presidential run-off in Romania, which saw pro-EU centrist Dan edge to victory after a campaign marred by disinformation and alleged Russian interference. The actors behind these doctored videos have now shifted their focus to neighbouring Moldova, where recent elections and referendums have been overshadowed by Russia's hybrid war techniques. Amongst the false claims made in these videos are that the Republic of Moldova ranks first in terms of the number of carriers of sexually transmitted diseases in Europe, or that Moldova is a driver of irregular migration into the European Union. Crunch parliamentary elections are set to be held in Moldova on 28 September, with President Sandu's pro-European PAS party facing a growing challenge from opposition forces. A poor showing for PAS could reshape the country's political landscape and hinder progress on the path to EU integration, which Sandu has accelerated during her five years in power. Last October, a referendum in Moldova on whether to enshrine the country's wish to join the European Union into the constitution was plagued by interference, including reports that €14 million in Russian funds had been funnelled directly into the accounts of 130,000 Moldovans in a bid to buy their anti-EU votes. That referendum saw Moldovans vote 'yes' to EU membership by a razor-thin majority of 50.4%. In recent weeks, a Kremlin-backed bot network known as Operation Matryoshka has launched a coordinated disinformation campaign targeting Sandu, circulating fake images depicting her execution. Posts published in the fake Euronews Telegram on Tuesday claim Dan 'shared his experience in limiting the opposition press' with Sandu during his Chișinău visit, adding that Sandu's PAS party sees this as the 'main tool for gaining and retaining power' in September's parliamentary elections. A closer look at the post shows that Dan has been misspelt as 'Nikușor', which could mirror Russian pronunciation of the president's name, according to our analysis. These allegations match the broader playbook of disinformation narratives that Euroverify has detected concerning Romania's presidential ballot. Disinformation targeting the Romanian ballot often claimed that the pro-Western, pro-European governing forces were suffocating free speech and hindering Conservative, Eurosceptic forces Telegram's founder, Russian-born Pavel Durov, has fed this playbook with uncorroborated claims that France's intelligence chief asked him to "silence" Romanian conservative voices by banning them from his messaging app in the run-up to last month's presidential ballot. Euroverify previously assessed that this claim was unfounded. Telegram was founded by Durov and his eldest brother Nikolai in 2013, and has been championed by journalists and activists for its strong encryption and security. But the app has recently come under scrutiny for the spread of illegal content and disinformation. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić is visiting Ukraine on Wednesday, in what marks his first ever trip to the country. During a one-day trip, Vučić is scheduled to take part in the Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit in Odesa, Serbia's Presidential Office announced. According to Euronews' European political sources, the Serbian president's participation in the summit signals Serbia's realignment with the EU regarding Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Serbia has positioned itself as neutral when it comes to Russia's war against Ukraine, but Vučić's recent visit to Moscow for Russian President Vladimir Putin's Victory Day parade drew sharp criticism from Brussels regarding Serbia's EU membership bid. Brussels issued a stark warning, indicating that Vučić's visit to Moscow would violate EU membership criteria and potentially hurt Serbia's accession process to the 27-member bloc. According to Euronews' European political sources, Vučić's participation in the summit in Odesa and its symbolism should lead to Brussels reopening and expediting Serbia's EU enlargement chapters. In this context, as a gesture towards Serbia, Ukraine did not invite Kosovo to the summit, the same sources told Euronews. Just recently, Russia accused Serbia of exporting arms to Ukraine, calling it a "stab in the back" from one of Moscow's longest-standing European allies. The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) issued a statement claiming that "Serbian defence enterprises, contrary to the 'neutrality' declared by official Belgrade, continue to supply ammunition to Kyiv.' The statement alleged that the export of the Serbian arms to Ukraine was going through NATO intermediaries, "primarily the Czech Republic, Poland and Bulgaria." "Recently, exotic options involving African states have also been used for this purpose," SVR said. Vučić denied the accusations, saying that although a contract with the Czech Republic exists, it does not permit exporting Serbian-made materiel to another country. He also stated Moscow and Belgrade would create a "working group" to establish how Serbian-made weapons reached Ukraine. The Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit in Odesa will gather representatives from 12 southeastern European countries. Among them is Romanian President Nicusor Dan, who is making his first trip to Ukraine since winning the May election. Russia has regularly targeted the port city of Odesa in missile and drone attacks.** On Tuesday, two people were killed after drone attacks hit residential buildings and medical facilities, including a maternity ward, officials said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later said 13 people had also been injured there.
Euronews
11 hours ago
- Euronews
Serbia's Vučić visits Ukraine for the first time in EU realignment bid
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić is visiting Ukraine on Wednesday, in what marks his first ever trip to the country. During a one-day trip, Vučić is scheduled to take part in the Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit in Odesa, Serbia's Presidential Office announced. According to Euronews' European political sources, the Serbian president's participation in the summit signals Serbia's realignment with the EU regarding Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Serbia has positioned itself as neutral when it comes to Russia's war against Ukraine, but Vučić's recent visit to Moscow for Russian President Vladimir Putin's Victory Day parade drew sharp criticism from Brussels regarding Serbia's EU membership bid. Brussels issued a stark warning, indicating that Vučić's visit to Moscow would violate EU membership criteria and potentially hurt Serbia's accession process to the 27-member bloc. According to Euronews' European political sources, Vučić's participation in the summit in Odesa and its symbolism should lead to Brussels reopening and expediting Serbia's EU enlargement chapters. In this context, as a gesture towards Serbia, Ukraine did not invite Kosovo to the summit, the same sources told Euronews. Just recently, Russia accused Serbia of exporting arms to Ukraine, calling it a "stab in the back" from one of Moscow's longest-standing European allies. The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) issued a statement claiming that "Serbian defence enterprises, contrary to the 'neutrality' declared by official Belgrade, continue to supply ammunition to Kyiv.' The statement alleged that the export of the Serbian arms to Ukraine was going through NATO intermediaries, "primarily the Czech Republic, Poland and Bulgaria." "Recently, exotic options involving African states have also been used for this purpose," SVR said. Vučić denied the accusations, saying that although a contract with the Czech Republic exists, it does not permit exporting Serbian-made materiel to another country. He also stated Moscow and Belgrade would create a "working group" to establish how Serbian-made weapons reached Ukraine. The Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit in Odesa will gather representatives from 12 southeastern European countries. Among them is Romanian President Nicusor Dan, who is making his first trip to Ukraine since winning the May election. Russia has regularly targeted the port city of Odesa in missile and drone attacks.** On Tuesday, two people were killed after drone attacks hit residential buildings and medical facilities, including a maternity ward, officials said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later said 13 people had also been injured there. Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk defended his centrist, pro-European government before parliament on Wednesday, seeking to reassert control and rally his fractured coalition after suffering a bitter political defeat. Tusk requested a vote of confidence in the wake of the loss of Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, a close ally, to conservative Karol Nawrocki in the 1 June presidential runoff. Backed by US President Donald Trump, Nawrocki is set to replace outgoing President Andrzej Duda, another Law and Justice or PiS party-backed conservative who repeatedly blocked Tusk's reform efforts. "I am asking for a vote of confidence with full conviction that we have a mandate to govern, to take full responsibility for what is happening in Poland," Tusk, who heads the Civic Platform (PO) coalition, said in Warsaw. "Anyone who is ready to move forward with me, with the government, and above all with our voters, regardless of these momentary emotions, and build a better Poland, should vote today for a vote of confidence in our government," Tusk said. The vote, which is scheduled to take place on Wednesday afternoon, is widely expected to go in Tusk's favour. His four-party coalition holds a narrow but stable majority in the 460-seat Sejm, Poland's lower house of parliament. A loss would trigger the formation of a caretaker government and may open the door for an early parliamentary election. That could potentially return power to the conservative Law and Justice party, in coalition with the far-right Confederation party, whose candidate placed third in the presidential race. Tusk had long counted on a Trzaskowski victory to break the institutional deadlock created by Duda's vetoes. Instead, he now faces an incoming president aligned with the nationalist opposition and openly hostile to his government's legislative priorities. "We cannot close our eyes to reality," he said. "A president who was reluctant to accept the changes we proposed for Poland and our voters is being replaced by a president who is at least equally reluctant to those changes and proposals." But he also argued that Trzaskowski's narrow defeat indicates that there is continued strong support for those who share his views. The election result rattled the already uneasy governing coalition, which spans from centre-left to centre-right and has struggled to deliver on key campaign pledges, including liberalising Poland's abortion law and legalising same-sex civil unions. Tusk acknowledged the growing strains in Wednesday's address. Many are also blaming Tusk for contributing to Trzaskowski's loss. Much of the criticism has come from within his coalition, as his partners examine whether they are better off sticking with him or risking a collapse of the coalition. Some are calling for a new prime minister to be selected. There are questions about what Tusk can realistically achieve before the next parliamentary election, scheduled for late 2027, and whether the coalition will even survive that long amid a surge in popularity for the far right. Polish media and political analysts are debating whether this might be the 68-year-old Tusk's political twilight. "I know the taste of victory, I know the bitterness of defeat, but I don't know the word surrender," Tusk said. As part of his fresh start, he announced plans for a government reconstruction in July that will include "new faces." He said a government spokesman would be appointed in June, an acknowledgement that the coalition needs a way to present a unified message. So far Tusk has sought to communicate his policies to the public himself on social media and in news conferences. Tusk served as Polish prime minister from 2007 to 2014 and then as president of the European Council from 2014 to 2019. He became Poland's prime minister again in December 2023 in a country hit by the pandemic and inflation and facing significant political divisions. In a sign of those divisions, half of the parliament hall was empty on Wednesday, with lawmakers from the right-wing PiS party boycotting his speech. Tusk said their absence showed disrespect to the nation. Most of the power in Poland's parliamentary system rests with an elected parliament and a government chosen by the parliament. However, the president can veto legislation and represent the country abroad.
