KYIV – In a recent development, Ukraine is making strides in its efforts to restart prisoner exchanges with Russia, a move that could potentially see 1,200 Ukrainian captives return home. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced this on Sunday, following encouraging updates from his national security chief about ongoing negotiations.

President Zelenskyy expressed optimism on the platform X, stating, “We are … counting on the resumption of POW exchanges. Many meetings, negotiations, and calls are currently taking place to ensure this.” His words underscore the numerous diplomatic efforts currently in motion to secure the release of Ukrainian prisoners.

Rustem Umerov, the Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, revealed on Saturday that he had engaged in discussions with representatives from Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. These talks aimed at facilitating the resumption of prisoner exchanges, with the potential to free 1,200 Ukrainians.

Umerov highlighted that these discussions had led to an agreement to reactivate prisoner exchange agreements initially brokered in Istanbul. However, there has been no immediate response from Moscow regarding these claims.

The agreements from Istanbul, established in 2022 and mediated by Turkey, laid the groundwork for large-scale, organized prisoner swaps between the two nations. Despite this framework, exchanges have been inconsistent, though they have resulted in thousands of prisoners being traded since their inception.

Umerov said technical consultations would be held soon to finalize procedural and organizational details, expressing hope that returning Ukrainians could “celebrate the New Year and Christmas holidays at home — at the family table and next to their relatives.”

In other developments, energy infrastructure was damaged by Russian drone strikes overnight into Sunday in Ukraine’s Odesa region, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said. A solar power plant was among the damaged sites.

Ukraine is desperately trying to fend off relentless Russian aerial attacks that have brought rolling blackouts across Ukraine on the brink of winter.

Combined missile and drone strikes on the power grid have coincided with Ukraine’s efforts to hold back a Russian battlefield push aimed at capturing the eastern stronghold of Pokrovsk.

Russia fired a total of 176 drones and one missile overnight, Ukraine’s air force said Sunday, adding that Ukrainian forces shot down or neutralized 139 drones.

Russia’s defense ministry said Sunday that its forces shot down 57 Ukrainian drones overnight.