Russian gunpowder depot catches fire; Kyiv and Moscow exchange prisoners.

Photo: Avia Pro

According to Sputnik and Tass news agencies, two of the 20 gunpowder depots have caught fire, and there is a risk of the flames spreading to the others. Each depot may contain up to 20 tons of gunpowder, but the exact amount is currently unknown.

Local authorities said they had evacuated residents in the village of Pervomaiskii, near where the fire occurred. The regional office of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations said there were no casualties from the warehouse fire. The cause of the incident is currently under investigation.

45 Azov fighters return to Ukraine, 3 Russian pilots released.

45 Ukrainian prisoners of war have been released. Photo: Reuters

Reuters quoted Andriy Yermak, Chief of Staff to the President of Ukraine, as saying on May 6 that 45 fighters from the Azov Battalion, captured during the battle for Mariupol, had returned to the country.

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

According to Yermak, the released Ukrainian prisoners included 42 men and 3 women from the Azov Battalion. The Ukrainian military intelligence agency, which is responsible for coordinating the prisoner exchange with Russia, has not responded to requests for further details on the matter.

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

Moscow and Kyiv have exchanged prisoners several times since Russia launched its special operations in Ukraine.

Hoai Linh