Russian authorities on Saturday accused Ukraine of indefinitely delaying the implementation of a prisoner-of-war exchange agreement and the return of soldiers’ bodies, a deal reportedly reached earlier this week during talks in Istanbul.
“The Ukrainian side has postponed both the acceptance of the bodies and the exchange of prisoners for an indefinite period,” wrote Russian chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has condemned intensified Russian attacks on multiple regions, with Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha calling on Western allies to increase pressure on Moscow.
“To end the killings and destruction by Russia, greater pressure is needed, as well as stronger steps to reinforce Ukraine,” Sybiha said.
According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russia launched 206 drones and 9 missiles in a new wave of overnight aerial assaults.
Civilian Casualties and Regional Damage:
In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, at least three people were killed and 21 injured following Russian strikes, said Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
In Kherson, a southern city, a couple was killed, and two apartment buildings were damaged, reported regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin.
Additional airstrikes were recorded in the regions of Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, and Ternopil.
Despite the stalled prisoner deal, fighting and aerial bombardments show no signs of slowing, further complicating diplomatic efforts and worsening the humanitarian toll across Ukraine.
