Russia, Ukraine begin swap of young and wounded prisoners of war
Kiev/Moscow
Russia and Ukraine launched on Monday a new prisoner exchange, agreed earlier this month during direct negotiations in Istanbul between representatives from both countries.
According to the Russian Defence Ministry, the first group of Russian soldiers under the age of 25 has been released from Ukrainian captivity. In return, a similar number of Ukrainian prisoners were handed over by Moscow. Neither side disclosed the exact number of individuals involved.
Moscow said the repatriated Russian soldiers are currently in Belarus, where they are receiving medical assistance.
'Our people are home,' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X. He confirmed the return of young soldiers and seriously injured individuals but did not provide specific figures.
Zelensky said the exchange process is 'quite complex,' though he expressed hope that the Istanbul agreement would be fully implemented.
He said the swaps would 'continue in several stages over the coming days.' Tensions had flared between Moscow and Kiev over the timing of the exchange.
The families of missing Ukrainian soldiers gathered close to the border with Belarus on Monday, as a planned prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine took place.
As the bus carrying prisoners of war arrived, a crowd of relatives surged forward, many brandishing photos of missing fathers, brothers and sons.
Faces were filled with apprehension. Few expected to be reunited, and most were just desperate for information after waiting years for any news.The latest exchange stems from the second round of talks held in Istanbul a week ago. Both sides agreed to swap young soldiers aged 18 to 25, along with seriously wounded or ill prisoners of war, and to return the bodies of fallen soldiers.
The arrangement could eventually involve over 1,000 individuals from each side. The first phase of the exchange had originally been scheduled for the weekend.
Officials in Kiev said some of the Ukrainian prisoners who returned on Monday had been in Russian captivity since the beginning of the war.
Tetiana, who had gathered with other Ukrainians in the Chernihiv region close to Belarus, carried a cardboard sign with photos of her father, Valentyn, and cousin, Mykola, both still missing.
'When my father went to fight, my biggest fear was that he would go missing,' she said, her eyes filling with tears. 'I hoped maybe he'd be wounded and come back.'
The war has exacted a heavy toll on the family. Tetiana's uncle was killed last September, but his body was only recently returned for burial.
When one of the returned prisoners appeared at an upstairs window, women waiting below hurled the names of regiments at him, hoping he might have news.
He apologised, made a heart sign with his hands and called out 'slava Ukraini' - glory to Ukraine. 'Heroiam Slava' - glory to the heroes - the crowd replied in unison.
Glimpsed briefly through the crowd as they were escorted inside, some of the soldiers looked gaunt.
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