- Ukraine Confirms Prisoner Swap With Russia To Begin Next Week.
- Deal includes exchange of prisoners and fallen soldiers’ bodies.
- Agreement reached during talks in Istanbul on June 2.
Ukraine has confirmed that a long-awaited prisoner exchange with Russia will begin next week, following weeks of diplomatic back-and-forth and accusations of sabotage from both sides.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s defence intelligence, announced the development in a social media post on Sunday. “The start of repatriation activities based on the results of the negotiations in Istanbul is scheduled for next week,” Budanov stated.
This follows an agreement reached on June 2, when both countries consented to a new round of prisoner-of-war (POW) exchanges, along with the repatriation of the remains of fallen soldiers. The deal was brokered during negotiations in Istanbul, a neutral ground where previous talks have also taken place.
Tensions had recently escalated over delays in the implementation of the agreement. Ukraine accused Moscow of dragging its feet, while Russia accused Kyiv of trying to manipulate the process. The upcoming swap aims to ease those tensions and revive confidence in future humanitarian agreements.
While details of the number of prisoners involved have not been made public, sources suggest the exchange will include both military personnel and the bodies of those killed in action, from both sides.
The war between Russia and Ukraine, now in its third year, has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions. Humanitarian gestures such as prisoner swaps are viewed as critical confidence-building steps in an otherwise entrenched conflict.
