Russia, Ukraine swap prisoners under Istanbul agreement

Moscow [Russia], June 11 : A second group of Russian prisoners of war (POWs) has been released from Ukrainian captivity following a major prisoner swap agreement between Moscow and Kiev in Istanbul last week, Russia Today reported citing the Russian Defense Ministry.

According to Russia Today, while the Defense Ministry did not disclose the exact number of servicemen returned, it released a video showing the freed soldiers draped in Russian flags preparing to board buses. The soldiers are currently receiving psychological and medical assistance in Belarus and will be transferred to Russian military hospitals for rehabilitation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the exchange, describing it as "the first stage" of a swap involving "seriously wounded... soldiers" and called it "an important humanitarian act."

Russia Today reported that during the second round of direct negotiations in Istanbul, both sides agreed to exchange seriously injured, ill, or under-25 captives. The Russian Defense Ministry did not specify which categories were included in this phase.

Additionally, Russia announced the return of over 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers' bodies as a unilateral humanitarian gesture. Moscow attempted to hand over 1,212 bodies on Saturday, but Ukrainian representatives failed to arrive at the exchange point, Russia Today reported.

Meanwhile, more than 100 civilians, including a child, were injured and four killed in Russian regions over the past week due to Ukrainian strikes, Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik told TASS. Most injuries were attributed to FPV drone attacks, with the highest casualties in Belgorod, Kursk, Luhansk, and Zaporozhye.

Miroshnik claimed nearly 1,800 munitions, mostly of Western origin, were launched at civilian targets, amid a failed prisoner exchange attempt on Saturday, CNN reported. Russia said Ukraine postponed the swap last minute; Ukraine denied this, calling Russia's version "dirty games" and citing a lack of confirmed timing.

Despite the delay, CNN reported both countries plan another exchange during peace talks in Istanbul this weekend.

Separately, the Kyiv Independent reported that on June 10, Kyiv and Odesa came under mass Russian attack. In Kyiv, four people were injured, while in Odesa, two were killed and at least eight wounded. Medical facilities, including a maternity hospital, were damaged.

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