Putin claims Ukraine has made no proposals of prisoner exchange
Russian leader Vladimir Putin claimed during a briefing on the evening of 9 May that no proposals regarding a prisoner exchange had yet been received from Ukraine.
Source: Putin during a briefing; Putin's aide Yury Ushakov, as reported by TASS, a Kremlin-aligned Russian news outlet
Details: Putin claimed that no proposals concerning a prisoner exchange had so far been received from Ukraine.
According to Putin, even before US President Donald Trump proposed a truce, Russia had sent Ukraine an offer regarding an exchange of POWs. Putin said that Russia had provided Ukraine with a list of 500 captured Ukrainian servicemembers, after which Kyiv had "disappeared from the radar".
However, earlier on 9 May, Putin's aide Yury Ushakov had stated that the relevant services were actively working on prisoner lists throughout Saturday and that, if an agreement was reached, an exchange between Russia and Ukraine would begin.
Ushakov also said that arranging a prisoner exchange takes time, but that it could all be done quickly.
Background:
- On 8 May, US President Donald Trump announced a three-day ceasefire in the war between Ukraine and Russia.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner swap would take place on 9 May and confirmed the US president's announcement regarding a ceasefire with Russia on 9-11 May.
- Ukraine officially granted Russia permission to hold its Victory Day parade as part of the ceasefire arrangements.
- Russia also agreed to support Trump's ceasefire initiative for 9-11 May and the prisoner exchange.
- Since the beginning of 9 May, when the so-called ceasefire in the war with Russia was supposed to be in effect, Russian forces had carried out 51 attacks as of 16:00.