There are no negotiations about ending the war, and Moscow is threatening to use the debate about releasing Western weapons to attack Russian territory. But on a small scale, diplomacy is still working.
According to information from Moscow, Russia and Ukraine have once again exchanged prisoners of war. Each side handed over 103 prisoners, the Russian Defense Ministry announced. “All Russian soldiers are currently on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, where they are being provided with the necessary psychological and medical assistance and are also being given the opportunity to contact their relatives,” the statement said. The soldiers will return to Russia shortly. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later confirmed the exchange.
Moscow thanked the United Arab Emirates for mediating in the case. On the Russian side, many conscripts who were surprised by the Ukrainian counter-offensive in the western Russian region of Kursk and captured there have been released.
According to Zelensky, 82 soldiers and 21 officers were released on the Ukrainian side. In addition to members of the regular armed forces, border guards, national guards and police officers were also there, he wrote on Telegram. He also posted pictures of the released people with Ukrainian flags.
The day before, Kiev had already announced a prisoner exchange. President Zelensky spoke of 49 returnees from captivity, including many women. While diplomatic contacts in other areas were broken off shortly after the start of the Russian war of aggression more than two and a half years ago and there are currently no talks about a possible end to the fighting, the prisoner exchange is still going on. Both sides have now handed over prisoners of war more than 50 times.
