Moscow, 25 May (H.S.): Russia and Ukraine conducted a significant prisoner exchange on Sunday, with each side exchanging 1000 individuals, marking the largest swap since the conflict began three years ago. The three-day operation, which started Friday, primarily involved prisoners of war and included 120 civilians each. On Sunday, 303 prisoners were exchanged, as noted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky via Telegram. This exchange arose following direct talks on May 16 that did not yield a ceasefire.

Ukraine and Western nations have advocated for a 30-day ceasefire to facilitate peace discussions. Amid this, Russian forces launched a major aerial assault on Ukrainian cities, killing at least 12. Additionally, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov indicated that Moscow would be ready to propose a long-term peace agreement post-exchange. Casualty figures remain uncertain, with significant losses on both sides.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar