MOSCOW - Russia and Ukraine have conducted a major prisoner swap, exchanging 390 prisoners each under an agreement reached during recent talks in Istanbul, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.
The ministry said 270 Russian servicemen and 120 civilians have returned from territory controlled by Kyiv. In return, 270 Ukrainian prisoners and 120 civilians have also been released, it added.
The freed Russian prisoners are on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, where they are being provided with necessary psychological and medical assistance, said the ministry.
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"The large-scale exchange initiated by the Russian side is planned to continue in the coming days," according to the ministry.
Following their direct negotiations in Istanbul last week, Russia and Ukraine agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners each, marking the largest prisoner swap since the start of the conflict in 2022.
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New round of peace talks
A new round of direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine will take place, with Kyiv confirming plans for a second round of negotiations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday.
Speaking at a high-level conference at the Russian Foreign Ministry's Diplomatic Academy, Lavrov said Moscow supports the continuation of direct dialogue with Ukraine as preparations for the next round of talks are underway.
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Lavrov revealed that Russia is drafting a memorandum outlining the framework for a future peace agreement, and described progress related to the document as encouraging. He emphasized that Russia's proposal aims to address the root causes of the conflict, which he said must be eliminated "like a cancerous tumor."
A potential peace treaty should "be reliable and ensure long-term sustainable and fair peace without creating security threats to anyone," he added.
Delegations from Russia and Ukraine concluded their latest meeting in Istanbul last week.
