Russia and Ukraine have carried out a major prisoner exchange, each returning 270 military personnel and 120 civilians to the other side, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
The prisoner swap, involving 390 people from each side, follows the peace talks held last week in Istanbul, where Russia and Ukraine agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war each. This deal stands out as one of the few concrete results from otherwise stalled negotiations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the start of the exchange, saying the process began with 390 people on the first day and will continue over the weekend.
The exchange is taking place at the Ukraine-Belarus border and is expected to last three days, according to Ukrainian sources and government projects helping soldiers surrender..
US President Donald Trump welcomed the development on his Truth Social platform, calling the swap "complete" and hinting it “could lead to something big???” — raising hopes for further diplomatic breakthroughs.
Despite the broader peace process remaining frozen, this carefully coordinated exchange is seen as a rare moment of cooperation amid ongoing tensions. Both sides have exchanged prisoner lists, with Ukraine aiming to bring home all its citizens held captive in Russia. However, reports suggest that Russia is returning nearly all its captured soldiers, while Ukraine is expected to recover less than 10% of its prisoners.
The prisoner exchange was first agreed upon during talks in Istanbul on May 16, with further negotiations possibly scheduled in the Vatican in June, according to reports.
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The United Nations has said that at least 21 people have been executed in Iran and more than 4,000 arrested since the outbreak of war involving the United States and Israel on 28 February.
President Donald Trump discussed how to mitigate the impact of a possible months-long U.S. blockade of Iran's ports with oil companies, a White House official said on Wednesday, as the U.S. renewed its calls for other nations to help open the Strait of Hormuz.
An initial inquiry into last year’s mass shooting at Bondi Beach has called for a series of counter-terrorism reforms, alongside increased security at Jewish public events and further gun control measures.
Israel has intercepted aid ships for Gaza in international waters near Greece, flotilla organisers said on Thursday (30 April), decrying the move as an "escalation of Israel's impunity".
A Pentagon official provided the first official estimate of the cost of the U.S. war in Iran on Wednesday (29 April), telling lawmakers that $25 billion had so far been spent on the conflict, most of it on munitions. Earlier, Donald Trump said that the U.S. had "militarily defeated" Tehran.
Tensions between the United States and Iran remain high after a U.S. official said President Donald Trump was unhappy with a proposal from Tehran that does not deal with its nuclear programme. Washington is insisting that any talks must address Iran’s nuclear activities.
The decision by the United Arab Emirates to leave OPEC+ on 1 May has put renewed focus on one of the most influential groups in global energy - and how its decisions can shape oil prices worldwide.
Mexican special forces arrested Audias Flores, known as “El Jardinero”, a senior commander of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), during an operation in the western state of Nayarit, Security Minister Omar García Harfuch said on Monday (27 April).
The United Arab Emirates has said it's quitting OPEC from 1 May, dealing a major blow to the oil producers’ group and its de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, amid disruption caused by the Iran war.
An initial inquiry into last year’s mass shooting at Bondi Beach has called for a series of counter-terrorism reforms, alongside increased security at Jewish public events and further gun control measures.
Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla commemorated victims of the 11 September, 2001, an al Qaeda attack on New York City on Wednesday, laying a floral bouquet at the memorial where the World Trade Centre's twin towers once stood.
Two Jewish men have been stabbed in London in an incident that British police are treating as a terrorist attack.
Reversing a decade of restrictions, New South Wales has opened new areas for gas exploration in its remote west. The move reflects growing concern over future energy supply across Australia’s east coast.
Travel demand across China is expected to remain robust during the upcoming five-day Labour Day holiday starting 1 May.
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