Prisoners of war still to be exchanged in near future - Budanov
Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (photo: Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The exchange of prisoners of war between Ukraine and Russia will take place in the near future. Currently, the Ukrainian side is doing everything possible to make it happen, states Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.
"The lives of our people - military or civilian - should not be in danger. And in the terrible conditions in which they are kept there. Everything we can do, we will do. I am sure that the exchange will take place in the near future," he said.
The DIU chief added that Ukraine will eventually find out what happened with the episode of the IL-76 plane crash and the alleged prisoners of war on board.
Prisoner exchange
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Ukraine and Russia have conducted many prisoner-of-war exchanges. Since August 2023, Moscow has frozen the exchange of prisoners with Ukraine.
However, on January 3, Ukraine and Russia held the largest prisoner exchange since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Ukraine managed to bring home 230 defenders.
On January 24, Ukraine and Russia were supposed to hold the 50th prisoner exchange, but it was disrupted by the downing of an IL-76 near Belgorod. The Russians claimed that there were dozens of Ukrainian prisoners on board. But Ukraine has not confirmed this.
According to the Defense Ministry's intelligence, the foiled exchange was supposed to be one of the largest during the war.
