Russia and Ukraine continue prisoner swaps, hundreds freed

Published connected 25/05/2025 - 6:01 GMT+2•Updated 12:57

The news came hours aft Russia launched a large-scale drone and rocket onslaught connected regions crossed Ukraine, sidesplitting astatine slightest 12 people.

Each broadside brought location 303 much soldiers, aft each released a full of 307 combatants and civilians connected Saturday, and 390 connected Friday.

"303 Ukrainian defenders are home. The 3rd portion of nan 1000-for-1000 speech deal, agreed upon successful Türkiye, has been completed.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said connected his X relationship connected Sunday. "Today, warriors of our Armed Forces, nan National Guard, nan State Border Guard Service, and nan State Special Transport Service are returning home."

Overnight, Russia targeted Kyiv and different Ukrainian regions pinch a large-scale drone and rocket attack, sidesplitting astatine slightest 12 people, according to section officials.

Nearly 300 drone attacks and immoderate 70 missiles were launched astatine Ukraine, according to nan Ukrainian president.

The mostly of Ukrainian soldiers released were taken captive successful nan Donetsk region, immoderate arsenic agelong agone arsenic 2022, nan Ukrainian leader said successful a abstracted video address.

He added that others were captured successful territories of nan Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, and Luhansk regions.

Kyiv and Moscow agreed to switch 1,000 prisoners from each broadside during nan talks successful Istanbul past week. It marks a uncommon infinitesimal of practice betwixt nan 2 nations, who person grounded aggregate times to scope a ceasefire deal.