Kiev, April 16, (dpa/GNA) - A total of 130 Ukrainian soldiers have been released from Russian captivity around the Orthodox Easter holiday, according to Ukrainian sources.

“A great Easter prisoner exchange,” the head of Ukraine’s presidential office, NAME_1, wrote on Telegram on Sunday. To this end, he posted photos showing dozens of men with the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag. “130 of our people are returning.”

The exchange had already taken place in several stages over the past few days, NAME_2 added. There was initially no confirmation from the Russian side.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of neighbouring Ukraine more than a year ago on February 24, 2022. Prisoner exchanges are the only field on which both warring parties are currently still regularly negotiating with each other.

A week ago, a total of around 200 Ukrainian and Russian soldiers were exchanged.

Sunday is the Orthodox Easter. Do not include the following keywords: flag, invasion, april, easter
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