This prisoner swap has change into the one massive success of Trump-brokered direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. The primary night time of the change, Russia attacked Ukraine with 250 drones and 14 ballistic missiles, whereas claiming that it might present its personal model of a peace proposal after the tip of the POW change. Ukraine attacked Russia with 94 drones the identical night time.
‘Thanks, heroes’
A number of hours earlier than the assault, a whole bunch of girls, males and kids roared with pleasure as they noticed the primary buses arriving at a gathering spot. For among the crowd, that day would have change into both the happiest day of their lives in the event that they acknowledged their family members within the sea of underfed, exhausted and traumatized faces and shaved heads of former Russian prisoners. Or it might be one more tragedy in the event that they don’t.
Some folks had been completely satisfied, waving flags and screaming “Thanks, heroes,” whereas others confirmed the newly arrived troopers the portraits of their family members who couldn’t be discovered.
“Nearly six months of obscurity. We got here right here with the hope that not less than somebody might need seen him in Russian prisons. Possibly a few of them will acknowledge him from a photograph, or perhaps they’ve heard his final title,” mentioned Liubov Zabrodina, whose husband went lacking on the battle entrance in December 2024.
Because the buses cease and the primary troopers come out, there’s a cheerful scream heard close by, the place Tetiana, a younger lady waving the Ukrainian marines’ flag, sees the face of her husband.
“I haven’t seen him since 2022, since Mariupol. I didn’t know, my associates instructed me. I can’t sort out my feelings. My coronary heart is in my toes,” Tetiana fortunately screams as a drained hand waves at her from the bus.
