A significant prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia involving round 1,000 POWs from either side is anticipated to happen subsequent week, Ukraine's navy intelligence chief stated on air on Might 17, following an settlement reached in Istanbul.
"I hope it’s going to occur subsequent week," Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's Army Intelligence, stated. "I don't see any main obstacles to this."
Budanov's remarks got here a day after Protection Minister Rustem Umerov confirmed that Russia and Ukraine had reached a deal on the 1,000-for-1,000 alternate throughout talks in Istanbul.
Russia additionally confirmed the settlement, with Vladimir Medinsky, head of Moscow's delegation, telling Russian state media that preparations for the swap have been underway. Deputy Intelligence Chief Vadym Skybytskyi stated each international locations had begun engaged on the ultimate alternate lists.
Prisoner swaps stay one of many few areas of ongoing cooperation between the 2 international locations. The newest alternate occurred on Might 6, when 205 Ukrainian troopers have been returned in a one-for-one format.
Ukraine has lengthy advocated for an "all-for-all" alternate, however Russia has thus far resisted the proposal. Kyiv has not disclosed the overall variety of Ukrainian prisoners of struggle being held in Russian custody.
Ukraine's delegation traveled to Istanbul this week for Russian-initiated peace talks, although President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized Moscow for sending what he known as a "sham delegation." Russian President Vladimir Putin declined to attend, as a substitute appointing his aide Medinsky to steer Moscow's staff.
The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova