Russian gunpowder depot catches fire, Kiev and Moscow exchange prisoners

Photo: Avia Pro

According to Sputnik and Tass news agencies, two of the 20 gun depots have caught fire and there is a risk that the fire will spread to other depots. Each depot can hold up to 20 tons of gunpowder, but it is not yet clear exactly how many tons of gunpowder are inside.

Local authorities said they had evacuated residents of the village of Pervomaiskii, near the site of the fire. The regional office of Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations said there were no casualties as a result of the fire at the warehouses. The cause of the incident is under investigation.

45 Azov fighters return to Ukraine, 3 Russian pilots released

45 Ukrainian prisoners of war were released. Photo: Reuters

Reuters news agency quoted the Chief of Staff of the President of Ukraine, Mr. Andriy Yermak, saying that on May 6, 45 fighters of the Azov battalion captured in the battle for Mariupol returned home.

Meanwhile, Russia said that three of its pilots had been released. However, neither Ukraine nor Russia gave a full statement about the prisoner exchange.

The Ukrainian prisoners released included 42 men and three women from the Azov battalion, Yermak said. Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, which coordinates the prisoner exchange with Russia, did not respond to a request for further details.

On the Russian side, the country's Defense Ministry issued a statement stating that three Russian pilots had been returned and were receiving psychological and medical support. "After a difficult negotiation process, three pilots of the Russian Aerospace Forces, whose lives were in danger during their captivity in the territory controlled by Ukraine, have returned home." The statement did not mention the 45 Ukrainian prisoners who were released.

Moscow and Kiev have exchanged prisoners several times since Russia launched a special operation in Ukraine.