New prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia
116 Ukrainian prisoners in Russia were able to return to their country on February 4, 2023 (photo taken by the team of the Ukrainian presidency, in an unspecified location).
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On Saturday, dozens of families found relief after an exchange of prisoners between kyiv and Moscow.
Aside from the fierce fighting that continues, the only negotiations taking place between Ukrainians and Russians concern the release of prisoners of war, who number in the thousands.
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With our correspondent in Kiev,
Stéphane Siohan
Saturday, a column of white buses rolling on the snow, stopped at the point of contact between the Russian and Ukrainian forces.
Several dozen Ukrainian prisoners came out, taken care of by the security services.
A total of 116 Ukrainian prisoners have been released, including 87 soldiers of the armed forces, but also members of the territorial defense, the National Guard, as well as border guards.
The Russian side also returned the bodies of Christopher Parry, 28, and Andrew Bagshaw, 47, two British volunteers killed in Soledar (read below), as well as that of a Ukrainian volunteer soldier, former member of the Foreign Legion French.
The Russian Defense Ministry announced that 63 Russian prisoners had been exchanged, without disclosing which category of soldiers they were.
Since the beginning of the war, the Ukrainian authorities have made no secret of the fact that taking up Russian prisoners allows kyiv to obtain a bargaining chip to bring Ukrainian prisoners back home.
However, according to official sources, there are still 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers prisoners, while 15,000 people, both soldiers and civilians, are considered missing.
Who were the two British volunteers?
With our correspondent in London,
Sidonie Gaucher
Christopher Parry was originally from Cornwall, and "
found himself in Ukraine in March, at the darkest hour, at the beginning of the Russian invasion
".
The UK Foreign Office pays tribute to the aid it has given "to
those most in need, saving over 400 lives and many abandoned animals
".
BBC News publishes their portraits
, along with images of them, on their assignments.
Like here, where Andrew Bagshaw, scientific researcher and volunteer in Ukraine since April, leaves a message before leaving to save people, "old people, young people and disadvantaged people" as the ministry indicates: "
Hi, thank you for the money.
We're going to save people, sorry I have to hurry.
Talk to you later.
»
Other national volunteers were killed while delivering aid.
The British government has already warned against all travel to Ukraine, saying there is "
a real risk to life
".
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