Russia and Ukraine Announce a Prisoner Exchange Amid Intensifying Battle
Russia and Ukraine have announced a prisoner exchange resulting in the release of approximately 200 prisoners of war from both sides as the mutual shelling continues and the fighting intensifies on several fronts, notably in Donbas and Avdiivka. This comes amid warnings from Kyiv to its allies about a severe shortage of ammunition in its forces.
Moscow and Kyiv simultaneously announced the prisoner exchange on Wednesday, marking the fifth of its kind in two years, according to Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubynets. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the exchange included 195 Russian soldiers in return for a similar number of Ukrainian soldiers.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the return of 207 Ukrainian soldiers who were held captive in Russia and were released as part of the deal. Zelensky affirmed in a statement that over 3,000 Ukrainian prisoners of war have returned to Ukraine over the past two years. He also pledged to repatriate all Ukrainian prisoners, whether military or civilian.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also welcomed the prisoner exchange, emphasizing Moscow’s efforts to repatriate all of its detained nationals in Ukraine. Russia indicated that the exchange was facilitated by the United Arab Emirates, which has played a role in several similar previous operations.
Last week, a Russian military plane crashed near the Ukrainian border under mysterious circumstances, resulting in the death of all passengers. Moscow insists that Kyiv shot down the plane, which was carrying 74 people, including 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war slated for exchange.
As the prisoner exchange unfolded, mutual shelling and battles continued on various fronts. The Russian Defense Ministry stated on Wednesday evening that it had destroyed 20 missiles launched by Ukraine over the Black Sea and the Crimean Peninsula, explaining that some of the missiles’ wreckage fell in the peninsula.
Ukraine continues to target the Crimean Peninsula, which was annexed by Russia in 2014 due to its logistical significance for the Russian military. Meanwhile, Moscow persists in exerting pressure on Ukrainian defensive lines, particularly in Donbas and around Avdiivka, the focal point of the intense battles between Russian and Ukrainian forces for months, resulting in significant casualties.
President Putin confirmed on Wednesday evening that Russian forces are concentrated on the outskirts of Avdiivka.
Sharp Shortage of Ammunition
In a related context, Ukraine cautioned its allies on Wednesday about facing a severe shortage of artillery shells, stating that Russia deploys three times the firepower of Ukraine’s forces on the front lines daily.
Bloomberg reported that Defense Minister Ruslan Khomchak wrote to his European counterparts this week, describing the acute shortage of ammunition and weapons faced by Ukrainian forces as they strive to repel ongoing Russian attacks. Khomchak was quoted as saying that Ukraine cannot launch more than 2,000 shells daily across the 1500-kilometer front line, which is less than a third of the ammunition used by Russia, according to a document seen by Bloomberg. He stressed that Ukraine needs to at least match the firepower used by its adversary, emphasizing that “the side with the greatest fighting capability usually wins.”
Mobilizing Support for Kyiv
Washington seeks to mobilize further support to provide Kyiv with its ammunition, military equipment, and funding. In this context, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen met with members of the European Commission in Washington, emphasizing the necessity of supplying Ukraine with money and weapons. Meanwhile, the US Congress is still deliberating on a new financial aid package for Kyiv.
US envoy Victoria Nuland visited Ukraine on Wednesday to affirm Washington’s support for Kyiv. She expressed confidence that Ukraine will succeed in revitalizing its counteroffensive, despite the US Congress’s procrastination in providing further military aid to Ukraine.
On the other hand, the European Union stated in a meeting of defense ministers on Wednesday that the Union will be capable of producing one million shells annually and expects to double its production capacity to two million shells by 2025. Additionally, the United States is working to increase its shell production to assist Ukraine in meeting its needs.
However, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell stated to journalists following the European defense ministers’ meeting that the Union will only be able to deliver half a million shells committed to Kyiv by the end of March, and he said, “We delivered 330,000 shells.”
