Russia, Ukraine Exchange Hundreds Of Prisoners This Easter (Worthy News Radio)
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
MOSCOW/KYIV/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – As Easter approached, there was some hope for hundreds of Russian and Ukrainian prisoners of war and scores of injured soldiers, with officials saying they were being exchanged on Saturday. It also came after U.S. Vice President JD Vance cautiously expressed optimism about an end to the more than three-year war following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Yet overnight reported Russian attacks also underscored the difficulties of reaching a permanent ceasefire.
Suffering accompanies this year’s widely observed Easter season in Ukraine: The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia launched eight missiles and 87 drones in an overnight attack on Ukraine Saturday, causing damage in five regions across the country.
At least dozens of civilians are known to have been killed in previous attacks over the last few weeks.
However, in turn, Russia’s Defence Ministry accused Ukraine on Saturday of striking Russian energy facilities 10 times over the past 24 hours.
A 30-day U.S. brokered moratorium in March was supposed to protect Ukraine and Russia against attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure. Both nations have repeatedly accused the other of violating it. Yet a Kremlin spokesperson said Russian President Vladimir Putin did not order the end of the moratorium.
CHINA SANCTIONED
As clashes continued, Ukraine imposed sanctions on three Chinese companies claiming they were involved in the production of advanced Iskander missiles for Russia, charges Beijing denies.
Amid the turmoil, there was some hope as sources said the United Arab Emirates brokered a deal enabling hundreds of Russian and Ukrainian prisoners of war to be home for Easter.
Nearly 500 Russian and Ukrainian prisoners and 46 injured soldiers were due to be exchanged in the latest swap to be mediated by Abu Dhabi.
The exchange reportedly involved 246 prisoners from each side.
Additionally, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government will use “whatever avenues” it can to help with the release of Melbourne man Oscar Jenkins, who faces a 15-year jail term in Russia for fighting with Ukrainian troops.
He stressed that Australia would “continue to make representations to the reprehensible regime of Vladimir Putin on behalf of Mr. Jenkins.”
VATICAN INVOLVED
He added, “We will stand up and use whatever avenues we have at our disposal to continue to make those representations,”
The Vatican has also encouraged the release of prisoners of war, and Pope Francis appealed for an end to the armed conflict, which reportedly killed and injured more than a million people.
However, after talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, even U.S. Vice President JD Vance remained hopeful the war could end sooner than expected: “I want to update the prime minister on some of the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine … even in the past 24 hours, we think we have some interesting things to report on,” Vance said.
“Since there are the negotiations, I won’t prejudge them, but we do feel optimistic that we can hopefully bring this very brutal war to a close,” he added.
His comments came hours after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that President Donald J. Trump would abandon efforts to clinch a Russia-Ukraine peace deal unless there were clear signs that one could be done.
However, there have been no indications yet that the guns will remain silent on Easter Sunday.
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