Ukraine and Russia concluded their most extensive prisoner exchange to date, each side releasing 1,000 detainees over three days. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy confirmed that 303 defenders returned home in the final phase, offering brief solace to families after years of separation.
However, the relief was immediately overshadowed by Russia’s most severe aerial attack since the war began. Missiles and drones struck more than 30 Ukrainian cities and villages, causing at least 12 fatalities and widespread destruction. In places like Markhalivka, the devastation left survivors comparing their village to the war’s hardest-hit areas.
The events of the weekend highlight the paradox of the conflict: humanitarian gestures coexist with unrelenting violence, and peace remains elusive despite rare moments of cooperation.
