Ninth stage of Ukraine-Russia prisoner swap agreed at Istanbul takes place – photos
Ukraine conducted the ninth stage of the prisoner exchange on 23 July, bringing seriously ill and wounded soldiers back home.
Source: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on X (Twitter)
Quote: "Today, already the 9th stage of the exchange agreed in Istanbul took place. Seriously ill and severely wounded defenders are returning home. We can now share the details – across all stages of the recent Istanbul agreements, we have managed to bring back more than 1,000 of our people. For a thousand families, this means the joy of embracing their loved ones again. I am grateful to everyone who contributed to this effort."
Details: Zelenskyy added that the returning soldiers had defended Ukraine across various sections of the front line. A considerable number had been held captive for over three years. All will receive the support and medical treatment they need.
Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation, told journalists after the talks were over that around 250 people from each side had been exchanged. He said this was the final exchange within the scope of the previous agreements.
Background:
- On the evening of 23 July, the third round of peace talks between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations was held in Istanbul, Türkiye.
- Ukraine proposed holding a leaders’ meeting by the end of August that would be attended by Turkish President Recep Erdoğan and US President Donald Trump.
Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!