Ukraine-Russia POW swap and Trump's new threats to Putin - Thursday brief

Ukraine and Russia conduct new prisoner swap

Another prisoner exchange took place between Ukraine and Russia. It took place against the backdrop of the upcoming meeting between leaders Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

"A new exchange, 84 people, both military personnel and civilians. Almost all of them require medical care and significant rehabilitation," the head of state says.

Trump threatens new Russia sanctions if Alaska talks fail to solve problem

US President Donald Trump will impose new sanctions against Russia if no agreement is reached to end the war in Ukraine during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15.

Trump was asked whether he would impose more sanctions on Russia if Putin showed disrespect.

"I would, yeah… if it's not solved," the US President said, adding that the United States had not lost a single soldier or anyone at all, and that without his intervention the conflict could have turned into World War Three.

New COVID strains Nimbus and Stratus spreading in Ukraine with dozens infected

Ukraine has confirmed cases of two new dominant coronavirus subvariants in the world - Nimbus and Stratus. They spread faster than their predecessors and pose a risk to people with weakened immune systems.

Massive fires erupt in Volgograd oil refinery after Ukrainian drone strikes – Ukraine's General Staff

On the night of August 14, Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck the largest oil refinery in Russia’s Volgograd. Massive fires broke out at the facility, and details of the aftermath are being clarified.

Ukraine and Russia freed 10,000 POWs through secret channel - WSJ

During the war, Ukraine and Russia exchanged more than 10,000 military personnel through a secret channel. The systematic nature of the exchanges makes this channel a unique phenomenon in modern warfare.