Prisoners of war back home: drone attacks escalate!

Prisoners of war back home: drone attacks escalate!

Another prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine was announced today. Loud Antenna Münster A group of Russian soldiers under the age of 25 were released from Ukrainian captivity. In return, Ukraine received a comparable number of prisoners back, although exact figures have not yet been published. This exchange was decided at the beginning of the month during direct negotiations in Istanbul.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj confirmed the return of young and seriously injured soldiers. However, this repatriation is not without difficulties and the full implementation of the exchange is awaited. These negotiations continued in a second round in Istanbul, during which the exchange of bodies was also agreed. The focus is on young soldiers between the ages of 18 and 25 as well as seriously ill prisoners of war. According to estimates, a total of more than 1,000 people could be affected by these negotiations.

Current developments in air raids

In parallel with the negotiations, the war continues to escalate, and Russia is using record numbers of drones and missiles in air strikes. Last night alone, 250 drone strikes and 14 ballistic missile attacks were recorded across Ukraine, as daily news reported. At least 15 people were injured in Kiev and the surrounding area when debris from the downed drones fell. The mayor of Kiev, Vitali Klitschko, warned the population of further attacks and appealed to them to seek protection.

In addition to Kiev, the Odessa, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions were also affected by the attacks. President Zelensky called for increased international action against Russia and criticized attacks on civilians in response to global peace efforts. Russian authorities, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, had previously accused Ukraine of disrupting peace talks, while Moscow's defense pointed to more than 100 Ukrainian drone strikes.

Future negotiations and international reactions

The situation remains tense and Russia shows little willingness to make concessions or accept a ceasefire. Instead, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced retaliatory attacks in response to the Ukrainian “massive terrorist attacks.” However, in a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump, President Vladimir Putin indicated his willingness to work out a peace agreement.

It remains to be seen how the situation will develop and whether further prisoner exchanges will take place in the coming days. The humanitarian situation remains tense as fighting and attacks in Ukraine continue to intensify.