On Monday, Russia and Ukraine carried out the first phase of a prisoner-of-war swap, the only tangible result from peace talks held in Istanbul on June 2. The negotiations, aimed at ending the three-year war, have stalled, with Russia maintaining strict conditions for halting its invasion and rejecting calls for an unconditional ceasefire.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the exchange, stating it would proceed in stages over the coming days. The initial group includes wounded soldiers, severely injured personnel, and those under 25. Russia’s defense ministry confirmed the swap, citing agreements reached in Istanbul. Neither side specified the number of prisoners released, though both noted the deal involves over 1,000 captured soldiers, making it the largest exchange of the conflict.
The swap faced delays over the weekend, with Kyiv accusing Russia of deviating from terms prioritizing the release of sick, wounded, and younger soldiers. Russia claimed Ukraine refused to repatriate the bodies of 1,200 deceased soldiers held near the border.
The agreement coincides with intensified fighting. Russia reported its forces entered Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, a notable advance, as it has not previously claimed this area. Ukraine’s air force reported a record 479 Russian drones targeting the country overnight, with Rivne’s mayor describing it as the region’s largest attack since the war began. Russia confirmed targeting an airfield near Dubno in Rivne, in retaliation for a Ukrainian drone strike on June 1 against Russian air bases. Ukraine also claimed a drone attack on a Russian electronics factory producing drone components, temporarily suspending its operations.
