Russia and Ukraine conducted a major prisoner exchange on Saturday, marking a rare moment of cooperation amid the ongoing war. This event represented the second phase of a broader agreement, according to a report by Associated Press (AP).
Both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that 307 soldiers from each side were returned home. This followed a previous exchange just a day earlier, in which 390 military personnel and civilians were released by each party.
The exchange came hours after a heavy Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv, which injured at least 15 people, according to local authorities.
Widespread explosions were heard across the city, prompting citizens to seek shelter in subway stations.
The prisoner exchange deal was brokered during peace talks in Istanbul earlier this month, marking the first formal negotiations between Ukraine and Russia since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. During these talks, both sides committed to exchanging up to 1,000 prisoners of war.
