Ukraine and Russia carried out a swap of greater than 500 prisoners of warfare on Saturday. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, mentioned on Telegram 277 Ukrainian service personnel had returned house from Russian captivity. Russia’s defence ministry mentioned 246 servicemen had been handed over by Kyiv. It mentioned an extra 31 injured prisoners of warfare had been handed over to Ukraine and 15 of its personal wounded servicemen had additionally been returned by Kyiv. Zelenskyy thanked the United Arab Emirates for its mediation, saying a complete of 4,552 Ukrainians – service personnel and civilians – had been returned because the begin of Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Combating has continued in Russia’s border areas regardless of Vladimir Putin’s declaration of an Easter ceasefire, Zelenskyy has mentioned. “Kursk and Belgorod areas – Putin’s Easter statements didn’t unfold to this territory,” Ukraine’s president mentioned on X, referring to elements of Russia the place Ukraine troops are current. “Combating continues, Russian strikes proceed.”
Moscow’s troops have pushed out Ukrainian forces from almost the entire Kursk area, Russia’s chief of common employees, Valery Gerasimov, has mentioned. “The majority of the world the place the invasion occurred has now been cleared,” Gerasimov informed Putin in a televised assembly. “It’s 1,260 sq km, 99.5%.” The RIA state information company cited the Russian defence ministry as saying on Saturday that Russian troops recaptured the village of Oleshnya in Kursk.
Zelenskyy has mentioned that, in accordance with Ukraine’s commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, Kyiv’s forces “continued their exercise on the territory of the Kursk area and are holding their positions”. In an X submit on Saturday, he additionally mentioned Ukrainian troops “have superior and expanded our zone of management” within the Belgorod area.
Putin introduced the Easter ceasefire within the televised assembly with Gerasimov, saying Russian forces would cease fight operations from 6pm Moscow time on Saturday till midnight on Sunday. Russia’s president mentioned he was ordering a brief halt to the preventing out of “humanitarian concerns”.
Zelenskyy posted on X quickly after Putin’s announcement that Russian artillery fireplace was persevering with on Saturday. “Russian artillery can nonetheless be heard in sure instructions of the entrance, whatever the Russian chief’s promise of silence. Russian drones are in use. In some areas, the state of affairs has grow to be quieter,” Zelenskyy mentioned.
In response to the Ukrainian air pressure, Russia launched eight missiles and 87 drones in an in a single day assault on Ukraine on Saturday, inflicting injury in 5 areas throughout the nation. Air defence items shot down 33 Russian drones, and one other 36 drones had been redirected by digital warfare, the air pressure mentioned. It gave no particulars on missiles. Harm was recorded in 5 areas within the south, north-east and east, it mentioned.
Ukraine’s president put the onus on Russia to increase any ceasefire past the weekend. “Our actions are and will likely be symmetrical,” Zelenskyy mentioned on X. “The proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day silence stays on the desk – the reply to it should come from Moscow. Ukraine, along with our companions, is able to transfer towards peace as constructively as potential, however similar readiness is required from Russia.”
Russian troops are “solidifying their presence” within the village of Kalynove within the Donetsk area, the Kyiv Independent reported, citing the DeepState navy weblog, which is taken into account near Ukraine’s military. The publication studies, sourcing DeepState, that Russian forces are deploying infantry, and establishing logistical routes and communication traces in Kalynove.
Australia will use “no matter avenues” it may possibly to help Melbourne man Oscar Jenkins, who faces a 15-year jail time period in Russia for preventing with Ukrainian troops. The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, mentioned on Saturday that the federal government would “proceed to make representations to the reprehensible regime of Vladimir Putin” to launch Jenkins, 33, a former instructor who fought with Ukraine’s armed forces in opposition to Russia’s invasion.
