Large-scale Ukraine-Russia prisoner swap underway
By Stefan J. Bos
On Friday, Ukrainian authorities told reporters to gather at a location in the northern Chernihiv region in anticipation that some freed prisoners could be brought there.
Russia and Ukraine each agreed after two hours of talks in Istanbul last week to swap 1,000 prisoners.
Although they failed to agree to a ceasefire proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, the American leader said the swap could be the beginning of “something bigger”.
The United Arab Emirates mediated previous prisoner exchanges and the Holy See has also encouraged the freeing of prisoners of war.
Some saw the release of prisoners of war as a small sign of hope in an armed conflict that killed and injured hundreds of thousands of soldiers on both sides. Intelligence officials suggest this is by far Europe's deadliest war since World War Two, although neither side publishes accurate casualty figures.
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