Ukraine and Russia swapped 175 prisoners of conflict every on Saturday as a 32-hour ceasefire started on the event of Orthodox Easter.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted photos of the Ukrainian troopers being welcomed again residence.
The group contains troops who’ve fought on completely different conflict fronts, from Mariupol to the Donetsk, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia areas. Seven civilians have been included.
“A few of them are wounded. Most have been in captivity since 2022. And eventually — they’re residence,” Zelenskyy mentioned.
Regardless of the stalemate in diplomatic talks on the top of the conflict, Moscow and Kyiv agreed to a truce beginning on Saturday and lasting till midnight Sunday, when Orthodox Christians have a good time Easter, the Kremlin introduced on Thursday.
The prisoners’ swap was mediated by the United Arab Emirates, the Russian protection ministry mentioned. Zelenskyy has just lately visited the UAE and the opposite Gulf international locations hit by Iran’s assaults to determine protection cooperation.
“Ukraine will adhere to the ceasefire and reply strictly in type. The absence of Russian strikes within the air, on land, and at sea will imply no response from our facet,” Zelenskyy mentioned, exhibiting openness to increase the truce even past the agreed deadline.
“A ceasefire on Easter might additionally change into the start of actual motion towards peace — our facet has made the corresponding proposal,” he wrote on X, saying the concept of a truce extension has been communicated to the Russians.
