Ukraine, Russia swap prisoners amid ongoing war

KYIV, Ukraine - Ukraine and Russia carried out a new prisoner swap Saturday, according to Ukraine's deputy prime minister.

Iryna Vereshchuk said in a Telegram post that the third prisoner exchange between the two countries since Russia launched a war on Ukraine on Feb. 24, took place upon instructions by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Twenty-six Ukrainians, including 12 soldiers and 14 civilians, were released by Russia, said Vereshchuk.

The civilian death toll in the Russia-Ukraine war has climbed to 1,766 people with 2,383 injured, according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The number of Ukrainians who have fled the country since the start of the war has crossed 4.4 million, according to the UN refugee agency.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz.