Russia and Ukraine Conduct Major Prisoner Exchange Amid Ongoing War

Russia and Ukraine Conduct Major Prisoner Exchange Amid Ongoing War

Amid the ongoing war, Russia and Ukraine have completed another large-scale prisoner exchange. At the same time, a wave of Russian drone and missile attacks has struck Kyiv and several other cities, injuring at least 15 people. In response to these developments, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for tougher international sanctions against Russia.

On Saturday, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that it had released 307 Ukrainian prisoners of war, in exchange for the same number of Russian soldiers returning from Ukraine. Ukraine confirmed that the released individuals included members of the army, border guards, and the national guard.

Earlier on Friday, both sides had released 270 military and 120 civilian detainees each at the Ukraine–Belarus border. This exchange has been described as the largest prisoner swap since the war began in 2022.

However, even as these exchanges took place, Russia continued a barrage of aerial attacks across Ukraine. On Saturday night, Russia launched 250 drones and 14 ballistic missiles at Kyiv and several other cities. The attacks damaged apartment buildings, shopping malls, and various other structures, injuring many civilians.

Ukraine claimed it successfully shot down six ballistic missiles and 245 drones. Most of the drones were reportedly of Iranian design. Meanwhile, in the Kharkiv region, Russian strikes killed at least four people and injured several others over the past 24 hours.

Russia also claimed that at least 100 Ukrainian drones attempted to strike various regions within its territory. Of these, 64 were intercepted over the Belgorod region, and 10 more were shot down on Saturday morning.

"Russia is Responsible" — Zelensky

In light of the situation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on social media: “Ukraine has endured yet another difficult night. Moscow is responsible for prolonging this war.”

He added, “Unless stricter sanctions are imposed on Russia, no resolution will be possible. We expect firm action from the United States, Europe, and all our partners.”

The G7 countries also issued a warning to Russia on Friday, stating that if it does not agree to a ceasefire, even harsher sanctions will follow.

Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that the only outcome of recent talks with Russia in Istanbul a week ago was the prisoner exchange agreement. “Russia has not submitted any peace proposals so far. Instead, it continues deadly attacks on civilians,” he said.

Reporting from Kyiv, Al Jazeera’s correspondent noted that while President Zelensky had hoped for a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, it did not materialize. Instead, the prisoner swap was finalized in a lower-level negotiation.

Meanwhile, despite Europe’s announcement of new sanctions, doubts remain about how effective they will be. The United States has yet to impose any new sanctions, which is considered a major disappointment for Ukraine.