Key developments on Might 23:
- Ukraine, Russia maintain largest prisoner swap since begin of Russia's battle
- Ukraine confirms strike on Russian manufacturing unit making components for Iskander ballistic missiles, glide bombs
- Russian army helicopter crashes in Oryol Oblast
- Zelensky slams Russia's delay on peace memorandum as 'mockery of the entire world'
- Russia executes 2 Ukrainian POWs close to Pokrovsk, prosecutors say
Ukraine and Russia on Might 23 started the biggest change of prisoners of battle (POWs) for the reason that begin of Russia's battle in 2014, a Kyiv Impartial journalist reported from the location of the swap.
President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned on Telegram that 390 Ukrainian prisoners had been exchanged as a part of the primary stage of the swap.
"We’re bringing our individuals residence. The primary stage of the '1000-for-1000' change settlement has been carried out," Zelensky wrote. "In the present day – 390 individuals. On Saturday and Sunday, we count on the change to proceed."
Russia's Protection Ministry mentioned that 270 troopers and 120 civilians had returned to Russia as a part of the primary stage.
The change will see 1,000 POWs from either side return residence, in a deal agreed upon throughout direct talks in Istanbul on Might 16, the primary such talks between Moscow and Kyiv since 2022.
"I thank everybody who helps and dealing 24/7 to deliver Ukrainian women and men again residence. It is rather essential to return everybody who stays in captivity," Zelensky added.
The Ukrainian and Russian governments confirmed that they had acquired the lists of POWs to be exchanged on Might 22.
Zelensky introduced on the identical day that he held a gathering to organize the change and known as the settlement on the POW swap the one "actual" results of the assembly between the 2 delegations in Istanbul.
"The settlement on the discharge of 1000 of our individuals from Russian captivity was nearly the one actual results of the assembly in Turkey. We’re working to make sure this consequence. We’re discovering out the main points of every individual listed on the Russian aspect," Zelensky mentioned.
In response to the President's Workplace chief Andriy Yermak, diplomatic representatives of the Nordic and Baltic international locations additionally participated in preparations for the swap. He added that after the 1,000-for-1,000 change is accomplished, future direct talks with Russian officers might be organized.
At the very least 8,000 Ukrainian service members are held captive by Russia, Iryna Vereshchuk, Presidential Workplace deputy head, mentioned on Might 1, citing information from Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Remedy of POWs.
Kyiv doesn’t launch the figures for what number of Russian POWs are at the moment in Ukrainian custody.
Whereas ceasefire agreements and peace talks have remained elusive for the reason that begin of the full-scale invasion, common prisoner swaps have remained one of many few areas of ongoing cooperation between the 2 international locations.
The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko
Ukraine confirms strike on Russian manufacturing unit making components for ballistic missiles
Ukraine has confirmed a strike on an industrial zone within the metropolis of Yelets in Russia's Lipetsk Oblast in a single day on Might 23, that hit a manufacturing unit making components for Russian weapons, together with Iskander ballistic missiles.
"The goal was hit… and a collection of explosions have been recorded," Ukraine's Basic Employees mentioned in a publish on social media, including: "A fireplace broke out on the territory of the power."
It mentioned the manufacturing unit, which is underneath U.S. and EU sanctions, is Russia's "solely producer of batteries for glide and correction modules put in on plane bombs," and in addition produces components for ballistic and cruise missiles.
"The shutdown of the Energia public firm might depart among the Russian occupiers' army tools and weapons with out important batteries," the Basic Employees mentioned.
The extent of the harm to the manufacturing unit was nonetheless being assessed, it added.
The Basic Employees didn’t specify what sort of weapon was used within the assault, however earlier on Might 23, Lipetsk Oblast Governor Igor Artamonov mentioned Ukrainian drones have been behind the assault.
Movies on social media purported to point out blasts and fires following the strikes.
Artamonov mentioned that drone particles fell on a residential constructing in Yelets, injuring eight individuals.
The Kyiv Impartial couldn’t confirm the stories.
Ukraine recurrently launches drone assaults in opposition to Russian army and industrial services within the rear to undermine Russia's capacity to wage its all-out battle.
In current weeks, Kyiv has stepped up its drone assaults on Russia, sending lots of of drones flying towards Moscow. Whereas no direct hits have been reported, the assaults have precipitated non permanent closures of a number of airports.
In response to Russia's Protection Ministry, Russian air defenses have downed 112 Ukrainian drones in a single day on Might 23, together with 24 over Moscow and one over Lipetsk Oblast.
The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy
Zelensky slams Russia's delay on peace memorandum as 'mockery of the entire world'
Russia's weeklong delay in getting ready a proposal on a peace settlement is a "mockery of the entire world," President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned in his night tackle on Might 23.
The remarks come after Russian President Vladimir Putin, throughout a telephone name with U.S. President Donald Trump on Might 19, refused to help a full ceasefire in Ukraine. As a substitute, the Kremlin proposed drafting a "memorandum" on a doable future peace settlement.
Zelensky mentioned that, whereas Ukraine and its companions are working towards a direct ceasefire, Russia is stalling.
"When it took the Russians per week to formulate the so-called 'memorandum' in response to the demand for a ceasefire, it’s undoubtedly a mockery of the entire world," Zelensky mentioned.
"We’d like a ceasefire. We’d like diplomatic steps towards actual peace. And it's undoubtedly time to place extra strain on Russia."
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned on Might 20 that there was "no timeline" for finishing the doc, in response to Russian state media TASS.
Three days later, International Minister Sergey Lavrov mentioned Russia would solely submit the draft "settlement doc" after the continued prisoner change is accomplished.
That change, agreed throughout direct Ukraine-Russia talks in Istanbul on Might 16, noticed either side start returning 1,000 prisoners of battle (POWs) on Might 23. It marks the biggest such swap since Russia's invasion of Crimea in 2014 and is the one concrete end result of the Istanbul talks to this point.
Zelensky mentioned Moscow continues to dam any significant progress past the prisoner swap.
"Each day within the battle is a lack of life. After all, in Russia, they don't depend individuals. However the world should depend," he mentioned. "New sanctions in opposition to Russia are wanted. I thank every certainly one of you who advocate and help this."
The Kyiv IndependentKyiv Independent
Russian army helicopter crashes in Oryol Oblast
A Russian Mi-8 fight helicopter crashed close to the village of Naryshkino in Russia's Oryol Oblast on Might 23, killing the crew, the state-controlled information company TASS reported, citing the Russian military's Moscow Army District.
The Russian Telegram channel Baza printed a video that purportedly exhibits smoke rising after the helicopter crash, adopted by further explosions.
The Moscow Army District attributed the crash to a technical malfunction.
The Mi-8 is a Soviet-era plane mostly used for transport by each the Russian army and civilian authorities companies. It may possibly additionally serve in fight and command roles.
There have been a number of instances of Russian helicopters and planes crashing throughout the full-scalewar, generally leading to fatalities.
Russia's aviation trade took a heavy hit on account of Western sanctions, usually missing the mandatory parts to keep up the plane.
The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova
Russia executes 2 Ukrainian POWs close to Pokrovsk, prosecutors say
Russian forces have executed two Ukrainian prisoners of battle throughout an assault close to the village of Udachne, 12 kilometers (7 miles) west of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine's Prosecutor Basic's Workplace reported on Might 23.
In response to the prosecutors, the incident occurred on Might 22 throughout an assault on Ukrainian positions in some of the energetic fight zones of the entrance line.
Russian troops reportedly took two of 4 Ukrainian troopers prisoner throughout the assault and later shot them useless with automated weapons in a close-by forest. The destiny of the opposite two troopers stays unknown.
"The deliberate killing of prisoners of battle is a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions and is certified as a severe worldwide crime," the Prosecutor Basic's Workplace mentioned in a press release.
Ukraine's army and regulation enforcement companies have launched an investigation to determine these accountable.
The execution of prisoners of battle (POWs) follows a documented sample of battle crimes dedicated by Russian forces. As of mid-December 2024, Ukrainian authorities recorded the execution of 177 Ukrainian troopers after seize.
Visible proof and forensic information have backed repeated claims by Kyiv that Moscow systematically violates worldwide humanitarian regulation by focusing on unarmed troopers and civilians.
The Geneva Conventions classify abstract executions of detainees as grave breaches of worldwide humanitarian regulation.
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