Ukraine has strongly denied allegations made by Russia that it postponed a planned prisoner swap, accusing Moscow of “playing dirty games”. The denial comes after a massive Russian aerial attack on Kharkiv killed three people and injured 22 others.
### Background of the Allegations
Russia’s top negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, claimed that Ukraine had unexpectedly postponed the prisoner swap and the exchange of bodies of killed soldiers indefinitely. According to Medinsky, Russia had brought the bodies of 1,212 Ukrainian soldiers to the exchange area and sent a list of 640 prisoners of war to be swapped in the first stage.
### Ukraine’s Response
Andriy Kovalenko, an official with Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, refuted Russia’s allegations, stating that “Today’s statements by the Russian side do not correspond to reality or to previous agreements on either the exchange of prisoners or the repatriation of bodies”. Kovalenko urged Russia to stop “playing dirty games” and return to constructive work.
### The Russian Attack
The Russian strike on Kharkiv, which is one of Ukraine’s largest cities, was described as “the most powerful attack since the start of the full-scale war” by Mayor Ihor Terekhov. Residential buildings, educational infrastructure facilities, and an industrial site were among the targets hit, with 40 drones and several bombs striking one facility. The attack resulted in three deaths and 22 injuries, with six people still unaccounted for.
### Prisoner Swap Agreement
The prisoner swap agreement was part of a deal reached during the second round of peace talks in Istanbul, where both sides agreed to swap more prisoners and return the bodies of 12,000 dead soldiers. The proposed exchange was set to involve over 1,000 people on each side, making it one of the largest prisoner swaps of the war.
### Reactions and Implications
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the Russian attack, calling it “a brutal murder”. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga also called for increased pressure on Moscow to halt its invasion. The Kremlin, on the other hand, has vowed to continue its military campaign, rejecting Ukraine’s calls for an unconditional ceasefire.
