Ukraine says 22 of its soldiers freed from captivity
Published: 05:08 PM,Aug 07,2023 | EDITED : 09:08 PM,Aug 07,2023
Kyiv, Ukraine: Ukraine said on Monday that 22 of its soldiers had been freed from Russian captivity, the latest apparent prisoner swap between the two sides.
'Today, another 22 Ukrainian soldiers were returned home from captivity,' Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine's presidential office said in a post on social media.
He added that officers, privates and sergeants were among those released, and that some of them had been wounded.
Yermak posted a video purporting to show some of the released men posing for cameras and draped in Ukrainian flags.
Despite ongoing hostilities, Kyiv and Moscow regularly announce prisoner swaps between the two sides. Neither side reveals how many prisoners of war are in their custody.
Moscow did not immediately comment on the release of the prisoners or how many, if any, of its soldiers had been released.
Russia said on Monday a peace settlement with Ukraine was only possible if Kyiv put down its arms, after talks were held in Saudi Arabia over the weekend without Moscow's participation.
Representatives from around 40 countries including China, India, the United States and Ukraine took part in the peace summit, which was held in Jeddah.
Russia, which was not invited, said that a resolution was possible if Ukraine 'stopped the hostilities and terrorist attacks' and if Western countries stopped arms supplies to Kyiv.
It also called on Ukraine to cede its occupied territories to Moscow.
'The original foundations of Ukraine's sovereignty — its neutral, non-aligned and non-nuclear status — must be confirmed,' foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.
Over a year into Moscow's campaign in Ukraine, Kyiv's forces were pressing ahead with their long-awaited offensive to retake occupied territory.
— AFP
'Today, another 22 Ukrainian soldiers were returned home from captivity,' Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine's presidential office said in a post on social media.
He added that officers, privates and sergeants were among those released, and that some of them had been wounded.
Yermak posted a video purporting to show some of the released men posing for cameras and draped in Ukrainian flags.
Despite ongoing hostilities, Kyiv and Moscow regularly announce prisoner swaps between the two sides. Neither side reveals how many prisoners of war are in their custody.
Moscow did not immediately comment on the release of the prisoners or how many, if any, of its soldiers had been released.
Russia said on Monday a peace settlement with Ukraine was only possible if Kyiv put down its arms, after talks were held in Saudi Arabia over the weekend without Moscow's participation.
Representatives from around 40 countries including China, India, the United States and Ukraine took part in the peace summit, which was held in Jeddah.
Russia, which was not invited, said that a resolution was possible if Ukraine 'stopped the hostilities and terrorist attacks' and if Western countries stopped arms supplies to Kyiv.
It also called on Ukraine to cede its occupied territories to Moscow.
'The original foundations of Ukraine's sovereignty — its neutral, non-aligned and non-nuclear status — must be confirmed,' foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.
Over a year into Moscow's campaign in Ukraine, Kyiv's forces were pressing ahead with their long-awaited offensive to retake occupied territory.
— AFP