Kyiv: Forty-five Ukrainian soldiers have been set free in a prisoner exchange with Russia, Al Jazeera reported citing the Ukraine presidential office on Friday.
The presidential office also stated that the bodies of two killed Ukrainian soldiers have also been repatriated. In a tweet, the official, Andriy Yermak wrote, “Another POWs swap. We managed to free 45 AFU soldiers and get back to Ukraine the bodies of two fallen defenders. Thanks to the Coordinating Staff on the Treatment of Prisoners of War. We are going on. Our people will return home.”
No further details were provided regarding the prisoner exchange process.
Earlier in July, around 40 prisoners of war were killed and 75 were killed near Olenivka in the Donbas region.
This attack came a day after Ukraine and Russian ministers signed an agreement, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in Istanbul, to allow grain exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports aimed at easing the global food crisis sparked by the war.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict which started eight months ago has jolted Europe. The European Union and its Member States have shown solidarity with people fleeing the war.
The EU has immediately mobilised support to the Ukrainian government to keep its essential functions going, on top of the emergency and humanitarian assistance, and military aid provided to Ukraine.
On February 24, Russia began a special military operation in Ukraine after the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics requested help defending themselves. The Russian Defense Ministry said the special operation targets Ukrainian military infrastructure only and the civilian population is not in danger.
