Ministry of Defence Russian Some 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers are estimated to have surrendered since the invasion of the country began on February 24, taking advantage of Thursday’s announcement of the latest prisoner-of-war exchange with Ukrainian authorities.
“The total number of captured or surrendered Ukrainian servicemen is more than 6,000 people,” the report says. Igor Konashenkov.
This is confirmed on the eve of the exchange of 144 Ukrainian fighters for the same number of Russians and pro-Russian separatists. This is the biggest deal since the start of the offensive at the end of February.
“Yesterday (Wednesday) June 29, 144 servicemen were exchanged for 144,” Russian army spokesman General Igor Konasenkov said, before bringing up the overall balance of “Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered or were taken prisoner.”
At the moment, this figure could not be independently verified, and the Ukrainian side did not comment on this balance.
As in other cases, Konashenkov recalled that both Kyiv and Moscow prioritize these “one for the other” exchanges, as the Kremlin describes it, to wounded combatants. “They are already receiving all the necessary medical care,” he added at a press conference put together by Interfax.
This prisoner exchange was previously announced by the leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, Denis Pushilin, whose forces are fighting for Russia in this region in eastern Ukraine, one of the main targets of the Russian invasion.
(According to AFP and Europa Press)
Source: RPP
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