Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds more prisoners Saturday as part of a major swap that amounted to a rare moment of cooperation in otherwise failed efforts to reach a ceasefire.

Russia and Ukraine began a major prisoner exchange Friday, swapping hundreds of soldiers and civilians in the first phase of an exchange that was a moment of cooperation in otherwise failed efforts to reach a ceasefire in the 3-year-old war.

Attacks extended to a string of regional centres, including Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Russian strikes killed at least 12 people in Ukraine overnight into Sunday, officials said, as Kyiv and Moscow traded fire amid an ongoing major prisoner swap. Ukraine’s emergency services described a night of “terror” as Russia launched a second straight night of major airstrikes on Ukraine,

Russia and Ukraine began a major prisoner exchange, swapping hundreds of soldiers and civilians in the first phase of an exchange that was a moment of cooperation in otherwise failed efforts to reach a ceasefire in the 3-year-old war.

Russia and Ukraine conducted the largest prisoner of war exchange of the war to date on Wednesday, with around 1,000 soldiers from each side swapped.

After fending off attacks during a three-day weekend ceasefire declared by Russia, some Ukrainian soldiers fighting near the front line had advice for their president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy: don't talk to Moscow until Russian troops withdraw.

Ukrainian soldiers holding down positions in the Kharkiv region say they are too busy firing off artillery rounds to think seriously about prospects for a cease-fire with Russia. If anything, their experience has been that Russia is fighting more aggressively since cease-fire talks began months ago.

Russia and Ukraine had each agreed after two hours of peace talks in Istanbul last week to swap 1,000 prisoners