Ukraine and Russia are preparing for a new round of prisoner exchanges at the end of the week
Ukraine and the aggressor country may carry out another round of prisoner exchanges in the coming days.
This was announced by the head of the Office of the President, Kyrylo Budanov, during a conversation with journalists after the blessing of the Easter basket.
According to the head of the Office of the President, the new phase of the release of Ukrainian defenders is scheduled to be completed by the end of this week.
The main reason the exchange did not take place earlier was technical difficulties encountered by the Russian side during preparations for the process.
Kyrylo Budanov emphasized that the Ukrainian side decided not to delay the previous phase so that the released soldiers could return home in time.
“The other side didn’t quite manage to prepare everything in time, but we couldn’t wait. Let at least these 182 people celebrate the holiday at home,” he stressed.
The Head of the President’s Office expressed hope that the delay would not hinder plans for the near future.
He clarified that the only obstacle to a broader exchange was bureaucratic procedures, which they are currently trying to resolve promptly.
The issue of returning prisoners of war remains one of the top priorities for the Ukrainian government.
Negotiations are ongoing, despite all the difficulties in communicating with representatives of the occupying state regarding humanitarian issues.
The next stage of the exchange should be a logical continuation of the efforts of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
Kirill Budanov also noted that the Ukrainian side is ready to fulfill its obligations and is awaiting similar steps from Moscow.
As a reminder, 11 Azov fighters and soldier Kara-Dag have been returned from Russian captivity.
182 Ukrainians have returned home from Russian captivity, according to Zelenskyy.
Ukrainian fighters captured two Russian soldiers using drones.
The youngestfreed defender is 23 years old; he was captured at 19, according to the Joint Operations Command.
Ukraine carried out a new prisoner exchange, in which 157 Ukrainians—both military personnel and civilians—returned home. Among those released are soldiers from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, and the State Border Guard Service.
