Ukraine, Russia Begin Talks on Exchange of POWs as Kyiv Forces Dive Deeper Into Kursk Region

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine and Russia have begun negotiations to exchange prisoners of war, according to the Ukrainian Parliament’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, as Ukraine troops advance deeper into Russia’s Kursk region.Mr. Lubinets spoke with his Russian counterpart, Tatiana Moskalkova, on Wednesday night. That was hours after President Zelensky confirmed that Ukraine had captured about 100 Russian soldiers that day. Mr. Lubinets told local press that he had a “proactive conversation” with Russia on the exchange of prisoners of war. He added that they are “exchanging information” regarding the prisoners held by each side. “We have priority categories that we are ready to exchange. First of all, these are the seriously wounded,” Mr. Lubinets said. “Secondly, Ukrainian women, and thirdly, all those who remain in captivity,” he added. Videos that emerged today show dozens of Russian soldiers surrendering to Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region. Kyiv forces on Wednesday captured 102 military men from the 488th motorized rifle regiment of Russia’s armed forces, according to footage shared on social media. “This is the biggest capture of the enemy until now,” a Kyiv Operations Telegram post said. Mr. Lubinets said he had talked with the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross to inform them that “the rights of Russian prisoners are protected.” He also added that Ukraine is ready to commit to the exchange process based on the principles of the 1949 Geneva Convention, which set the standard on how civilians and prisoners should be treated during war. The capturing of Russian soldiers will potentially give Ukraine more leverage to demand the release of the thousands of Ukrainians who are held captive by Russia. Neither country has disclosed the number of prisoners of war they hold.Negotiations come as Ukraine is pressing its advance into Russian territory and as Kremlin officials order more evacuations near the border. Ukraine’s commander in chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, announced Thursday that Kyiv forces control 82 Russian settlements and 1,150 square kilometers of Kursk. “We are reaching our strategic goal,” Mr. Zelensky said on Wednesday night. “The exchange fund for our state has also been significantly replenished.” Ukraine’s armed forces also carried out Wednesday against Russian air bases the most significant drone attack since the start of the war, destroying four military airports. According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, Ukraine launched on Wednesday 117 drones in several regions of Russia. Ukraine and Russia last exchanged prisoners of war in July, with each side releasing 95 soldiers. There have been 54 prisoner swaps since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. Mr. Lubinets also said Wednesday that he was working with Ukrainian authorities to provide a cordon sanitaire in the Kursk region to provide food, medicine, and essential elements for civilians. Ukraine’s deputy prime minister, Iryna Vereshchuk, said she was preparing plans for a “security zone” in Kursk.

Ukraine, Russia Begin Talks on Exchange of POWs as Kyiv Forces Dive Deeper Into Kursk Region

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