Zelensky says 1,200 POWs to be exchanged with Russia
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr confirmed on Sunday a exchange of prisoners of war (POW) previously discussed with Russia, which had already mentioned the exchange.
Zelensky, in an article on Telegram, said that a list of 1,200 names was under work. Russian negotiators had mentioned this figure during direct talks with their Ukrainian counterparts in Istanbul on July 23, while Ukrainians did not publish a number at the time.
After a meeting with the Ukrainian chief negotiator Rustem Umerov, Zelensky said that the exchange would include civilians as well as soldiers. He added that the preparations for another meeting with the Russian team get, without mentioning a date.
At the end of July, Zelensky said that a total of 5,857 people had been returned to Ukraine Russian captivity since the Russian Invasion on a large scale in February 2022. 555 additional people had been released outside the exchanges, he reported on X.
The two parties released prisoners more recently in July, concluding a gradual exchange agreed in Istanbul at the end of June 1,200 on each side.
The total number of prisoners on both sides remains unknown and changes constantly. There have also been repeated exchanges.
The unconditional and complete ceasefire called by Ukraine at the Istanbul talks is not in sight. Moscow rather offered briefs so that both sides can recover their falls and injured along the front line.
Among the Russian prerequisites for a complete ceasefire, there are that Western arms deliveries to Ukraine must be interrupted.
