While there is no sign of a peace solution in Ukraine, Moscow believes that at least the prisoner exchange with Kiev is working. So far (as of Wednesday evening) 27 operations have been carried out with the cooperation of the Red Cross. The largest single fair was at the end of June.
“With the participation of the Red Cross, it was possible to organize a dialogue with Kiev on the exchange of prisoners and dead soldiers,” Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said on Wednesday. In the largest operation at the end of June, 144 POWs were exchanged. In this way, the eviction of the Azovstal factory in the port city of Mariupol was also agreed. At that time, more than 3,000 people, including hundreds of civilians, were removed from the steel plant, according to Russian information.
One of the last diplomatic channels
These negotiations are one of the last diplomatic channels between Moscow and Kiev after the peace talks broke down. Therefore, several proposals have recently been made to use these contacts to resume peace negotiations.
Heavy fighting near Donetsk
Fighting in Ukraine continued on Thursday. In the city of Donetsk, troops loyal to Moscow are trying to drive the Ukrainian army from their positions in the suburbs, military officers from both countries unanimously reported. The city has been controlled by pro-Russian separatists since 2014, but the Ukrainian army controls large parts of the area of the same name.
In addition to Donetsk, the villages of Pisky, Marjinka and Krasnohorivka and the town of Avdiivka in the Donbass must be fought. The industrial city had recently been shelled several times by Ukrainian artillery. At the same time, Russian forces continue their rocket attacks on major Ukrainian cities in other regions. Among them are Kharkov in the north and Mykolaiv in the south. Several residential buildings were said to have been damaged by the attacks, but there were no deaths or injuries, according to initial information.
deteriorating health emergency
According to the World Health Organization, there have been 434 attacks on health facilities in Ukraine. The people in the areas that cannot be reached because of the ongoing fighting are most at risk. Overworked staff and the approaching winter would raise concerns that the situation would worsen further.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
