Russia said on Thursday that it held "more than 6,000" prisoners of war captured during the fighting in Ukraine, also confirming that it had exchanged 144 Ukrainian fighters the day before for as many Russians and pro-Russian separatists.
A number for the moment unverifiable, which could however prove to be higher than what the Kremlin indicated.
"The total number of captured or surrendered Ukrainian servicemen is more than six thousand," Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.
8,000 prisoners in the breakaway republics
If no precise count of the prisoners of war has been given for the moment, either on the side of the Ukrainians or the Russians, the Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu previously reported "3,826 prisoners" Ukrainians, including " 2,439 taken prisoner during the surrender of Azovstal” and “1,387 Marines” captured in the capture of Mariupol.
Read alsoWar in Ukraine: the thorny issue of prisoner exchanges
The ambassador in Moscow of the separatist republic of Lugansk, Rodion Miroshnik, for his part, gave, according to the Russian public agency Tass, the figure of 8,000 Ukrainian prisoners for the two separatist territories, "and every day hundreds who add to it".
200,000 children deported to Russia
According to the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, kyiv and Moscow exchanged 144 prisoners on Wednesday, as announced by the Ukrainian government.
This is the biggest exchange since the start of the Russian offensive at the end of February.
“Almost all (Russian and pro-Russian fighters) who have been released are injured or seriously injured.
They are already receiving the necessary medical care,” he said.
VIDEO.
War in Ukraine: 959 Ukrainian soldiers from Azovstal surrender
On the civilian side, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky estimates that 1.2 million people were forcibly taken to Russia.
Among them, 200,000 children were also reportedly deported.
Moscow, which confirmed this figure, affirms that they were "evacuated" to be sheltered from the fighting.
