KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia and Ukraine exchanged a whole bunch extra prisoners on Saturday as a part of a major swap that amounted to a rare moment of cooperation in in any other case failed efforts to succeed in a ceasefire. The trade got here hours after Kyiv got here below a large-scale Russian drone and missile assault that left no less than 15 individuals injured.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russia’s protection ministry mentioned both sides introduced residence 307 extra troopers on Saturday, a day after every launched a complete of 390 combatants and civilians.
“We anticipate extra to come back tomorrow,” Zelenskyy mentioned on his official Telegram channel. Russia’s protection ministry additionally mentioned it anticipated the trade to be continued, although it didn’t give particulars.
Hours earlier, explosions and anti-aircraft fireplace have been heard all through Kyiv as many sought shelter in subway stations as Russian drones and missiles focused the Ukrainian capital in a single day.
In talks held in Istanbul earlier this month — the primary time the 2 sides met nose to nose for peace talks since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion — Kyiv and Moscow agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners of conflict and civilian detainees every.
‘A troublesome night time’
Officers mentioned Russia attacked Ukraine with 14 ballistic missiles and 250 Shahed drones in a single day whereas Ukrainian forces shot down six missiles and neutralized 245 drones — 128 drones have been shot down and 117 have been thwarted utilizing digital warfare.
The Kyiv Metropolis Army Administration mentioned it was one of many largest mixed missile and drone assaults on the capital.
“A troublesome night time for all of us,” the administration mentioned in a press release.
Posting on X, Ukraine’s International Minister Andrii Sybiha referred to as it “clear proof that elevated sanctions stress on Moscow is important to speed up the peace course of.”
In the meantime, the EU’s ambassador to Kyiv described it as “horrific.”
“If anybody nonetheless doubts Russia desires conflict to proceed — learn the information,” Katarina Mathernová wrote on the social community.
The particles of intercepted missiles and drones fell in no less than six Kyiv metropolis districts. In accordance with the appearing head of town’s army administration, Tymur Tkachenko, six individuals required medical care after the assault and two fires have been sparked in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district.
The Obolon district, the place a residential constructing was closely broken within the assault, was the toughest hit with no less than 5 wounded within the space, the administration mentioned.
Yurii Bondarchuk, an area resident, mentioned the air raid siren “began as regular, then the drones began to fly round as they continually do.” Moments later, he heard a growth and noticed shattered glass fly via the air.
“The balcony is completely worn out, in addition to the home windows and the doorways,” he mentioned as he stood at nighttime, smoking a cigarette to calm his nerves whereas firefighters labored to extinguish the flames.
The air raid alert in Kyiv lasted greater than seven hours, warning of incoming missiles and drones.
Kyiv’s mayor, Vitalii Klitschko, warned residents forward of the assault that greater than 20 Russian strike drones have been heading towards town. Because the assault continued, he mentioned drone particles fell on a shopping center and a residential constructing in Obolon. Emergency companies have been headed to the positioning, Klitschko mentioned.
Individually, 13 civilians have been killed on Friday and in a single day into Saturday in Russian assaults in Ukraine’s south, east and north, regional authorities mentioned. Three individuals died after a Russian ballistic missile focused port infrastructure in Odesa on the Black Sea, native Gov. Oleh Kiper mentioned.
Russia’s protection ministry on Saturday claimed its forces in a single day struck numerous army targets throughout Ukraine, together with missile and drone-producing vegetation, a reconnaissance heart and a launching web site for anti-aircraft missiles.
A fancy deal
The prisoner swap on Friday was the primary part of a sophisticated deal involving the trade of 1,000 prisoners from both sides.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the primary part of the deal introduced residence 390 Ukrainians, with additional releases anticipated over the weekend, which is able to make it the biggest swap of the conflict. Russia’s Protection Ministry mentioned it obtained the identical variety of individuals from Ukraine.
The swap befell on the border with Belarus, in northern Ukraine, in keeping with a Ukrainian official who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of he was not approved to talk publicly.
The launched Russians have been taken to Belarus for medical therapy, the Russian Protection Ministry mentioned.
Nonetheless, the trade — the most recent of dozens of swaps for the reason that conflict started and the largest involving Ukrainian civilians to date — didn’t herald a halt within the combating.
Battles continued alongside the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) entrance line, the place tens of hundreds of troopers have been killed, and neither nation has relented in its deep strikes.
After the Might 16 Istanbul assembly, Turkish International Minister Hakan Fidan referred to as the prisoner swap a “confidence-building measure” and mentioned the events had agreed in precept to fulfill once more.
However Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned on Friday that there was no settlement but on the venue for the following spherical of talks as diplomatic maneuvering continued.
Russian International Minister Sergey Lavrov mentioned Moscow would give Ukraine a draft doc outlining its situations for a “sustainable, long-term, complete” peace settlement, as soon as the continued prisoner trade had completed.
European leaders have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his toes in peace efforts whereas he tries to press his bigger military’s battlefield initiative and seize extra Ukrainian land.
The Istanbul assembly revealed that either side remained far aside on key situations for ending the combating. One such situation for Ukraine, backed by its Western allies, is a brief ceasefire as a primary step towards a peaceable settlement.
Russia’s Protection Ministry mentioned it had shot down 788 Ukrainian drones away from the battlefield between Might 20 and Might 23.
