Zelenskyy announces large prisoner swap with Russia this weekend
Photo: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
This weekend, Ukraine may make two prisoner exchanges with Russia. However, Kyiv has not yet received specific lists from Moscow, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“Today our groups held consultations on the exchanges. The Russian side conveyed information that this weekend it will be able to transfer 500 people, our military, out of the 1000+ we agreed on,” the president said.
Ukraine will be ready to exchange a corresponding number of prisoners.
“So far, we have not received the lists. This time, unlike the last Istanbul, the Russians gave their word that they would give us the lists of those we are exchanging in advance. This is important to us. We have not yet received the lists again, and they are giving us some reasons.... The Russians will be ready to make the first two exchanges on Saturday and Sunday,” he summarized.
Exchange of prisoners in the 1,000-for-1,000 format
During the first round of negotiations in Türkiye on May 16, the delegations of Ukraine and Russia agreed on a large-scale exchange of prisoners in the 1,000-for-1000 format. The agreement was implemented in stages over several days.
The exchange began on May 23, and in three days, a thousand prisoners of war returned to Ukraine. Among them were soldiers of the Navy, Air Assault Forces, National Guard, the Terrorist Defense, and the Border Guard Service.
RBC-Ukraine showed exclusive footage of the large-scale prisoner exchange published by the SBU.
On June 2, Ukrainian and Russian delegations held a second round of talks in Istanbul.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said the parties agreed on a new prisoner exchange.
He said it was planned to exchange seriously wounded and seriously ill prisoners in the all-for-all format.
Read more about the talks in RBC-Ukraine's coverage.
