'Letters from Relatives Have Arrived'... 'Christmas Miracle' Comes After 2 Years of War

Ukraine and Russia Exchange Letters and Parcels
First Time Since Russia Launched 'Special Military Operation' in Ukraine in February Last Year

On the 25th, ahead of Christmas, Russia and Ukraine exchanged letters and parcels for prisoners of war for the first time. This is the first occurrence during the more than two years of war.

Tatyana Moskalkova, Russia's Human Rights Commissioner, announced on the 23rd (local time) via Telegram, "Today, we humanely exchanged letters and parcels sent by relatives to Russian prisoners in Ukrainian territory and Ukrainian soldiers detained in Russian territory."

On the 23rd (local time), Russia and Ukraine exchanged letters and parcels to be delivered to prisoners of war.
Photo by Tatiana Moskalkova, Russian Human Rights Commissioner, Telegram

Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's Human Rights Commissioner, agreed to carry out the exchange with the support and participation of the relevant authorities at the border between the two countries.

This is the first time since Russia launched its "special military operation" in Ukraine in February last year that the two countries have exchanged letters for prisoners.

Amid speculation that the two countries are conducting behind-the-scenes negotiations regarding prisoner exchanges, Commissioner Moskalkova expressed in an interview with TASS news agency her hope that "Ukrainian soldiers in Russia would be able to contact their families."

Earlier, on the 30th of last month, Commissioners Moskalkova and Lubinets each visited 119 of their country's prisoners held in the other country to check on their conditions.

A woman living in Kyiv, Ukraine, is decorating a Christmas tree with angels and heart ornaments at Independence Square on the 22nd, ahead of celebrating Christmas for the first time on December 25 instead of January 7.
[Photo by EPA, Kyiv Yonhap News]

Russia and Ukraine have not disclosed the number of their soldiers detained as prisoners in the other country.

Meanwhile, Ukraine, which has suffered from the war for nearly two years, will celebrate Christmas on December 25th (local time) for the first time since 1917.

The people of this country, who belong to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church formerly affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church, have observed Christmas on January 7th until now, but this year they changed the date, saying they are clearing away Russian remnants. By abandoning the Julian calendar and adopting the Gregorian calendar, they are clearly expressing their intention to align with Europe.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.