President Volodymyr zelenskyy vowed more “retribution” against Russia on Ukrainian Independence Day Saturday, as Kyiv and Moscow announced the exchange of 230 prisoners just over two weeks into Ukraine‘s surprise offensive on Kursk.
zelenskyy signed a law banning the Russian-linked branch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and called the legislation a “liberation from Moscow’s devils”, drawing a sharp response from Russia’s Orthodox leader.
Kyiv marked its independence from the Soviet Union at a tense moment in the long war as it mounts a push into Russia and Moscow eyes more east Ukrainian towns.
The United Arab Emirates on Saturday said it mediated a prisoner swap deal between Ukraine and Russia that secured the release of 230 captives. “The UAE has successfully mediated a new captives exchange between the Russian Federation and the republic of Ukraine, resulting in the release of 230 captives,” said a foreign ministry statement.
zelenskyy published a video of him standing in a hilly, forested area said to be near where Ukraine launched its shock incursion from on Aug 6. “What the enemy brought to our land has now returned to its home”, he said, adding that Russia will “know what retribution is”. He called President Vladimir Putin a “sick man from Red Square who constantly threatens everyone with the red button”, referring to nuclear war.
In Russia, President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with army chief Valery Gerasimov, with the Kremlin saying they had discussed “countering enemy forces invading the Kursk region and measures being taken to destroy them”. The Kremlin’s choice of language was a break from previous statements that downplayed the surprise Ukrainian move.
Kyiv said a Russian strike on a residential of the eastern city of Kostyantynivka, near the frontline in the Donetsk region, killed five people. Ukraine has carried out evacuations from the hub of Pokrovsk amid fears it will fall to advancing Russian forces.
zelenskyy signed a law banning the Russian-linked branch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and called the legislation a “liberation from Moscow’s devils”, drawing a sharp response from Russia’s Orthodox leader.
Kyiv marked its independence from the Soviet Union at a tense moment in the long war as it mounts a push into Russia and Moscow eyes more east Ukrainian towns.
The United Arab Emirates on Saturday said it mediated a prisoner swap deal between Ukraine and Russia that secured the release of 230 captives. “The UAE has successfully mediated a new captives exchange between the Russian Federation and the republic of Ukraine, resulting in the release of 230 captives,” said a foreign ministry statement.
zelenskyy published a video of him standing in a hilly, forested area said to be near where Ukraine launched its shock incursion from on Aug 6. “What the enemy brought to our land has now returned to its home”, he said, adding that Russia will “know what retribution is”. He called President Vladimir Putin a “sick man from Red Square who constantly threatens everyone with the red button”, referring to nuclear war.
In Russia, President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with army chief Valery Gerasimov, with the Kremlin saying they had discussed “countering enemy forces invading the Kursk region and measures being taken to destroy them”. The Kremlin’s choice of language was a break from previous statements that downplayed the surprise Ukrainian move.
Kyiv said a Russian strike on a residential of the eastern city of Kostyantynivka, near the frontline in the Donetsk region, killed five people. Ukraine has carried out evacuations from the hub of Pokrovsk amid fears it will fall to advancing Russian forces.