KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia and Ukraine exchanged over 100 prisoners of warfare on Saturday as Kyiv marked its 3rd Independence Day since Moscow’s full-scale invasion.Ukraine mentioned the 115 servicemen who had been freed had been conscripts, lots of whom had been taken prisoner within the first months of Russia’s invasion. Amongst them are just about 50 infantrymen captured by means of Russian forces from the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol.The Russian Protection Ministry mentioned the 115 Russian infantrymen were captured within the Kursk area, the place Ukrainian forces introduced their wonder offensive into Russia two weeks in the past. The ministry mentioned the warriors had been lately in Belarus, however can be taken to Russia for clinical remedy and rehabilitation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned in a publish on X that the United Arab Emirates had once more brokered the alternate, the fifty fifth since Russia introduced a full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.
Footage connected to Zelenskyy’s publish display gaunt servicemen with shaven heads and wrapped in Ukrainian flags. “We take into accout each one. We’re looking out and doing our perfect to get everybody again,” Zelenskyy mentioned within the publish.
Officers from the 2 facets meet handiest once they switch their lifeless and POWs, after long preparation and international relations. Neither Ukraine nor Russia discloses what number of POWs there are in general.In step with the U.N., maximum Ukrainian POWs endure regimen clinical overlook, serious and systematic mistreatment, or even torture whilst in detention. There have additionally been remoted experiences of abuse of Russian infantrymen, most commonly all the way through seize or transit to internment websites.
Remaining January, Russia and Ukraine exchanged masses of prisoners of warfare within the greatest unmarried unencumber.Drone and artillery assaults proceed Two other folks had been killed and 4 had been wounded, together with a child, when Russian forces shelled the southern Ukrainian town of Kherson, the capital of the partly occupied Kherson area, in step with native officers.
Ukraine’s air power mentioned it had intercepted and destroyed seven drones over the rustic’s south. Russian long-range bombers additionally attacked the realm of Zmiinyi (Snake) Island with 4 cruise missiles, whilst the broader Kherson area used to be additionally struck by means of aerial bombs.In Russia, the Protection Ministry mentioned Saturday that air defenses had shot down seven drones in a single day.5 drones had been downed over the southwestern Voronezh area bordering Ukraine, wounding two other folks, regional Gov. Aleksandr Gusev mentioned. Information outlet Astra revealed movies showing to turn explosions at an ammunition depot after being hit by means of a drone. The movies may just no longer be independently verified.Two other folks had been wounded in a drone assault within the Belgorod area, additionally bordering Ukraine, regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov mentioned. Native government didn’t file any casualties within the Bryansk area, the place the 5th drone used to be intercepted.Within the Kursk area, regional Gov. Alexei Smirnov mentioned Saturday that 3 missiles had been shot down in a single day and some other 4 on Saturday morning.Russian air defenses shot down two extra drones on Saturday morning, Russia’s Protection Ministry mentioned — one over the Kursk area and one over the Bryansk area.
Independence Day commemorations Ukraine marked its thirty third Independence Day Saturday as its warfare towards Russia’s aggression reaches a 30-month milestone. No festivities are deliberate and as an alternative Ukrainians will mark the day with commemorations for civilians and infantrymen killed within the warfare.Poland’s President Andrzej Duda arrived by means of educate early Saturday to Kyiv in a symbolic display of enhance from one in all Ukraine’s key allies.Movies posted by means of his place of job display him being greeted by means of Ukrainian officers and later paying his respects in a rite on the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine.Duda’s seek advice from to Kyiv, his 5th since February 2022, sends a message that Warsaw’s enhance for Ukraine stays sturdy because the warfare drags on for the 3rd 12 months.Poland, situated to Ukraine’s west, has donated palms and grow to be a hub for Western guns destined for Ukraine. It has additionally welcomed tens of hundreds of Ukrainians who fled the warfare. It hosts essentially the most Ukrainian refugees out of doors of the rustic after Germany.
A business dispute over Ukrainian grain that dragged down ties remaining 12 months, and historic grievances between the 2 nations, someday galvanize unhealthy emotions, specifically amongst Poles who take into accout a International Warfare II-era bloodbath by means of Ukrainian nationalists.___Morton reported from London.___Follow traits at
