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Facebook” peak=”960″ src=”https://cdnph.upi.com/svc/sv/i/4581666058348/2022/1/16660612371735/Kyiv-Moscow-swap-218-prisoners-including-108-Ukrainian-women.jpg” title=”Russia on Monday launched 108 Ukrainian prisoners of conflict on Monday in a prisoner swap between the 2 international locations. Photograph courtesy of Andriy Yermak/Facebook” width=”1280″>
Russia on Monday launched 108 Ukrainian prisoners of conflict on Monday in a prisoner swap between the 2 international locations. Photograph courtesy of Andriy Yermak/Facebook
Oct. 17 (UPI) — Kyiv and Moscow carried out a prisoner swap on Monday involving greater than 200 folks, officers mentioned, prompting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to induce his forces to seize extra Russians to safe the discharge of Ukrainian prisoners of conflict.
The president made the remark throughout his nightly address Monday, stating, “the extra Russian prisoners we’ve the earlier we will free our heroes.”
“Each Ukrainian warrior, each frontline commander ought to keep in mind this.”
His remarks got here hours after the warring nations exchanged a complete of 218 prisoners. Officers mentioned 108 Ukrainian girls had been launched from Russian captivity whereas Kyiv handed over 110 of the Kremlin’s forces to Moscow.
Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of employees, mentioned in a statement on Telegram that 37 of the ladies launched to Kyiv had been captured from Mariupol’s Azovstal iron and metal works facility. There have been Ukrainian civilians and troops holed up for weeks below Russian bombardments. Twelve civilians had been additionally launched, he mentioned.
Amongst these launched had been some who had been arrested way back to 2019 by pro-Russian separatists within the japanese Ukrainian areas of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts.
“Captured had been mothers and daughters who had been very a lot awaited by their kinfolk,” he mentioned on Twitter, including that every one these launched will now endure medical examinations and rehabilitation.
“They are going to hug their kinfolk, their youngsters — get better,” he mentioned.
Denis Pushilin, the Russian-backed head of the Kremlin annexed Donetsk area of japanese Ukraine, confirmed the prisoner swap in a statement revealed to his Telegram account, stating 110 Russians had been returned to Moscow.
“Right this moment, there may be an alternate, in accordance with the formulation 110 for 110,” he mentioned, stating Moscow acquired 80 so-called civilian sailors and 30 navy service members.
The prisoner swap is the most recent to be carried out between the 2 international locations, and comes after Ukraine and Russia exchanged dozens of prisoners of conflict final week.
Final month, the 2 international locations swapped practically 300 prisoners, together with two People who had fought alongside Ukraine.
