Ukraine and Russia exchange POWs in latest swap
Ukraine and Russia exchanged prisoners of war on Thursday, officials from both countries said, the latest round of swaps under an agreement struck in Istanbul.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted images of the freed Ukrainian troops, smiling and draped in the national flag, most of whom had been held captive since the early months of Russia's February 2022 invasion, he said.
Our people are returning home from Russian captivity. These are warriors of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the State Border Guard Service. Most of them had been held captive since 2022.
They are defenders of Ukraine who fought in the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk,… pic.twitter.com/c4Xc8iHbr7
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 19, 2025
The Ukrainian POWs exchanged on Thursday were sick or injured, according to Kyiv's coordinating council for POWs.
The Russian POWs would also be sent for treatment and rehabilitation, Moscow's defence ministry said.
Neither Ukraine nor Russia, whose talks on ending the war have yielded few results besides the exchange of prisoners or remains, provided an exact figure of how many POWs had been exchanged.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Dubai Eye
7 hours ago
- Dubai Eye
Ukraine and Russia exchange POWs in latest swap
Ukraine and Russia exchanged prisoners of war on Thursday, officials from both countries said, the latest round of swaps under an agreement struck in Istanbul. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted images of the freed Ukrainian troops, smiling and draped in the national flag, most of whom had been held captive since the early months of Russia's February 2022 invasion, he said. Our people are returning home from Russian captivity. These are warriors of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the State Border Guard Service. Most of them had been held captive since 2022. They are defenders of Ukraine who fought in the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk,… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 19, 2025 The Ukrainian POWs exchanged on Thursday were sick or injured, according to Kyiv's coordinating council for POWs. The Russian POWs would also be sent for treatment and rehabilitation, Moscow's defence ministry said. Neither Ukraine nor Russia, whose talks on ending the war have yielded few results besides the exchange of prisoners or remains, provided an exact figure of how many POWs had been exchanged.
Middle East Eye
8 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Putin and Xi call for ceasefire, condemn Israeli strikes on Iran
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping have jointly condemned Israel's attacks on Iran during a phone call on Thursday, according to statements from both Moscow and Beijing. The two leaders called for an immediate end to hostilities and stressed the importance of resolving the crisis through diplomatic channels. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters that Putin and Xi "strongly condemn Israel's actions" and believe a resolution must be achieved 'exclusively by political and diplomatic means'. Chinese state media said Xi urged Israel to halt its military operations, calling a ceasefire the 'top priority'. He warned against further escalation, saying, 'Armed force is not the correct way to resolve international disputes,' and added that parties involved, 'especially Israel, should cease hostilities as soon as possible to prevent a cyclical escalation and resolutely avoid the spillover of the war".
Middle East Eye
11 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Putin says Israel-Iran deal possible, warns against targeting Khamenei
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said a resolution to end the fighting between Israel and Iran is achievable, while warning that Israeli strikes have only strengthened public support for Iran's leadership. Speaking during a televised meeting with foreign journalists, including AFP, Putin said, 'We see that today in Iran there is a consolidation of society around the country's political leadership.' He rejected the idea of assassinating Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, saying he did 'not even wish to discuss' such a scenario. 'This is a delicate issue, and of course we need to be very careful here, but in my opinion, a solution can be found,' Putin added in regards to an agreement between the two sides. The Russian leader suggested any deal should address both Israel's security concerns and Iran's right to a civilian nuclear programme. 'I believe it would be good for all of us together to look for ways to stop the fighting and seek ways for the participants in the conflict to find an agreement,' he said. Putin also revealed that over 200 Russian personnel are currently stationed at Iran's Bushehr nuclear facility, which was built by Russia's Rosatom. He said Moscow would continue to support Iran's civilian nuclear ambitions while ensuring that Israel's security interests are maintained. Russian President Vladimir Putin (AFP)
