Russian soldiers returned by Ukraine for medical care ahead of Istanbul talks
Soldiers taken to Belarus as Ukraine and Russia prepare for new talks in Turkey on Wednesday
Two Russian soldiers in need of medical care were handed over by Ukrainian authorities on Tuesday to be returned home, the Russian Defence Ministry said.
A ministry statement on Telegram said the two servicemen were handed over and taken to Belarus, one of Moscow’s closest allies, on Russia’s western border. They were receiving treatment in Belarus and would soon return to Russia, it said.
The statement said the action was undertaken on the basis of agreements reached at the second of two direct meetings aimed at ending the conflict last month between Russian and Ukrainian representatives.
The two meetings in Istanbul resulted in agreements to return prisoners of war and remains of fallen soldiers, but made little progress towards an end to the more than three-year-old conflict.
Large exchanges have taken place since the two meetings.
A third meeting was expected to be held on Wednesday in the Turkish city.
