Russia, Ukraine Exchange War Prisoners
Ukraine’s Vice Prime Minister, Iryna Vereshchuk, has confirmed exchange of war prisoners between Russia and Ukraine in the first swap of soldiers since Moscow ordered its troops to invade Ukraine about a month ago.
Vereshchuk said in a statement posted on Facebook that; “Following an order from President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the first fully fledged exchange of prisoners of war has taken place.
“In exchange for 10 captured occupiers, we rescued 10 of our servicemen.”
“Eleven Russian civilian seamen rescued near the Black Sea city of Odesa were also exchanged for 19 Ukrainian civilian ship crew members held by Moscow”, Vereshchuk added.
Earlier this week, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Moscow had completed two prisoner swaps. Russia’s human rights ombudsman, Tatiana Moskalkov, said nine Russian prisoners were exchanged for the Mayor of the South-eastern city of Melitopol.
Vereshchuk yesterday confirmed the Melitopol swap but denied any others had taken place.
In one the latest developments, reports indicate the Ukrainian forces have been bolstered by the dramatic destruction of a major Russian landing ship as it brought in supplies to its troops.
Dramatic pictures showed billowing fire and black smoke as the Orsk, docked in Berdyansk on the Azov Sea, was hit by Ukrainian ballistic missiles.
According to Reuters reports, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry said its troops had pushed back Russian forces from some areas around the capital, Kyiv.
The reports quoted the Ukraine’s Defence Ministry spokesperson, Oleksander Motuzyanyk, as saying that the Russian troops did not have enough resources to push ahead with their offensive in Ukraine, adding that the Russians have not given up hope of surrounding and seizing Kyiv.
Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Maxinister said there were 40 buses waiting to take civilians out of Mariupol, but that Russian forces were not letting them through. There were meant to be seven humanitarian corridors open today – although Mariupol was not included among them. – Agency reports
