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Facts about Russia-Ukraine conflict: Soldiers freed in Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap

(Xinhua) 10:01, February 05, 2023

KIEV/MOSCOW/WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments in the Ukraine crisis:

Dozens of Russian and Ukrainian soldiers have been freed following a latest prisoner swap, officials from both sides confirmed on Saturday.

Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian President's Office, said in a Telegram post that 116 Ukrainians returned home, whereas Russia's state news agency TASS said that 63 Russian servicemen were released.

Yermak also said that Russia returned to Ukraine the bodies of two British voluntary aid workers, and a volunteer soldier from Ukraine's International Legion.

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Moscow is ready to use all kinds of weapons to respond to Ukraine's attack on Russia, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said Saturday.

"Our response can be anything," Medvedev said in response to a corresponding question.

He added that the response would be swift, hard and convincing, in accordance with Russia's doctrinal documents, including the country's state policy on nuclear deterrence.

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Ukraine and the EU agreed to deepen their relations and cooperation at the 24th Ukraine-EU summit held in Kiev on Friday, according to a joint statement issued following the event.

The statement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was published by the Ukrainian presidential press service.

According to the document, Ukraine and the EU reiterated their commitment to further deepening their relationship and promoting Ukraine's further integration with the bloc.

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The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden announced Friday an additional round of security assistance for Ukraine with a total value of 2.2 billion U.S. dollars.

The latest package was divided into two parts - 425 million dollars through the Presidential Drawdown Authority, and 1.75 billion dollars from the congressionally-approved Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, according to a statement from the Defense Department.

What's particularly noticeable in the materiel are long-range rockets for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS missile launchers that the United States have provided for Ukraine. 

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Wu Chaolan)

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