Ukraine and Russia have announced their first exchange of prisoners of war for nearly five months, with more than 200 freed by each side after what Moscow said was a complex negotiation involving mediation by the United Arab Emirates.
Russia's defence ministry said 248 military personnel had been handed over by Ukraine. Kyiv said it had brought home 230 people - 224 soldiers and six civilians - in what it said had been the largest documented swap of troops so far.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to "return" every Ukrainian prisoner of war as he posted a video of returning troops celebrating, chanting and posing for photographs.
He wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "Our people are home. Today, we returned over 200 warriors and civilians from Russian captivity.
"Soldiers, sergeants, and officers. Armed Forces, National Guard, Navy, and Border Guards. Some of the defenders fought in Mariupol and Azovstal.
"I thank everyone who, despite all difficulties, brings our people home. I am grateful to our defenders. We are making every effort to return all of our people who are still in Russian captivity."
Our people are home. Today, we returned over 200 warriors and civilians from Russian captivity.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 3, 2024
Soldiers, sergeants, and officers. Armed Forces, National Guard, Navy, and Border Guards. Some of the defenders fought in Mariupol and Azovstal.
I thank everyone who, despite all… pic.twitter.com/h9D5bNQPhc
The prisoners were freed in an exchange deal with Russia that was sponsored by the United Arab Emirates.The massive prisoner exchange followed other such deals earlier in the war, which is nearing the two-year mark.
It comes as Russia said it shot down 12 missiles fired at one of its southern regions bordering Ukraine, as Kyiv's forces seek to embarrass the Kremlin and puncture President Vladimir Putin's argument that life is going on as normal despite the 22-month war.
The situation in the border city of Belgorod, which came under two rounds of shelling on Wednesday morning, "remains tense", said regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, writing on Telegram.
"Air defense systems worked," he said, promising more details about possible damage after inspecting the area later in the day, part of a New Year's holiday week in Russia.
The Russian side of the frontier has come under increasingly frequent attack in recent days. Throughout the war, border villages have sporadically been targeted by Ukrainian artillery fire, rockets, mortar shells and drones launched from thick forests where they are hard to detect.
On Saturday, shelling of Belgorod killed 25 people, including five children, in one of the deadliest strikes on Russian soil since Moscow's full-scale invasion. Another civilian was killed Tuesday in a new salvo.
Hitting Belgorod and disrupting city life is a dramatic way for Ukraine to show it can strike back against Russia, whose military outnumbers and outguns Kyiv's forces.
The tactic appeared to be having some success, with signs the attacks are unsettling the public, political leaders and military observers.
On Monday, Putin lashed out against the Belgorod attacks by Ukraine.
"They want to intimidate us and create uncertainty within our country," he said, promising to step up retaliation.Answering a question from a soldier who asked him about civilian casualties in Belgorod, Putin said: "I also feel a simmering anger."
Russia has recently intensified its long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities, including using Kinzhal missiles which can fly at 10 times the speed of sound.
The Kremlin's forces appear to be targeting Ukraine's defense industry, the British Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.
