"Last week's Istanbul peace talks between Russia and Ukraine did not lead to much in terms of achieving ceasefire or peace as there were no breakthroughs whatsoever. However, it did give the two sides a chance to increase their swaps of POWs, and this is where Istanbul bore fruit.
The delegations agreed to a swap of 1,000 captives from each side, totaling 2,000 - which makes it by far the biggest single exchange of the war. Friday saw the two sides complete an initial round of fulfilling this agreement, with almost 800 people released." ZH
"Twelve people are injured and three of them are in “mortal danger” after a mass stabbing at Germany’s Hamburg Central railway station.
The attacks appear to have been at random among people crowded on the railway platform during the evening rush hour.A mass stabbing was perpetrated at Hamburg Hauptbahnhof on Friday evening. A female suspect, as of yet unidentified, has been taken into custody, reports Germany’s Bild.
At least 12 people were injured. Three of these were said by paramedics to be in “mortal danger” and fighting for life. The attack, which took place on the platform between tracks 13 and 14 at the station was left slicked with blood.
The attack is the second mass stabbing in Germany in a matter of days. As previously reported, a stabbing in the early hours of Sunday morning in Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, allegedly by a Syrian migrant was days later classified as a possible terror attack after Islamist literature was found on the attacker and at his home. As well as using a knife, the man is alleged to have wielded a spear and a bottle of petrol." Breitbart
"In another clear indicator of just how drastically everything has changed in Syria in the wake of Bashar al-Assad's ouster in December last year, a militant group attempted to storm Russia's Hmeimim air base on Syria’s coast on Wednesday. Already the future of the base is uncertain,but Russia has still been maintaining it - given also Hmeimim is Moscow's only airbase on the Mediterranean.
"Militants attacked a Russian air base in Syria, killing two soldiers, a Syrian government official and a local activist said Wednesday," according to The Associated Press. Russian statements, which offered little detail, did not indicate if the slain were Russian soldiers or possibly foreign nationals who were contractors.
At least two militants were killed during their assault on the airbase. They are being widely reported as foreign Islamist fighters affiliated with the new Syrian government's military under President Sharaa (Jolani)." ZH
"Ukrainian Defense Forces engaged in 141 combat clashes with Russian invaders along the front lines.
Airstrikes targeted the settlements of Velykyi Prykil in Sumy region, Mykolaivka in Chernihiv region, Rublene, Milove in Kharkiv region, Pokrovsk, Stepanivka, Novotoretske, Hnativka, Komar, Novoukrainka in Donetsk region, Novodarivka, Huliaipole, Vysoke, Kamianske, Novodanylivka, Stepnohirsk in Zaporizhzhia region.
In the Kharkiv sector, Russian forces attempted eight breakthroughs near Vovchansk, Mala Shapkivka, and toward Dovhenke.In the Kupiansk sector, six assaults were repelled near Petropavlivka, Kolisnykivka, Kindrashivka, Nova Kruhliakivka, and towards Pishchane.
In the Lyman sector, Russians attacked 12 times near Hrekivka, Novyi Myr, Torske, Lypove, and Ridkodub.
In the Siversk sector, three enemy attacks occurred near Hryhorivka, Vyimka, and Bilohorivka.
In the Kramatorsk sector, Russians carried our four attacks near Chasiv Yar and Bila Hora.
In the Toretsk sector, the enemy conducted nine attempts to break through near Romanivka, Toretsk, Dachne, and Dyliivka.
In the Pokrovsk sector, the Ukrainian defenders repelled 44 Russian assaults near Nova Poltavka, Yelyzavetivka, Lysivka, Malynivka, Zvirove, Kotliarivka, Dachenske, Udachne, Troitske, Andriivka, and in the direction of Oleksiivka, Promin, Shevchenko Pershe, and Myroliubivka.
In the Novopavlivka sector, 14 attacks were halted near Kostiantynopil, Vilne Pole, and toward Shevchenko and Novopil.
In the Huliaipole sector, Ukraine’s forces stopped one enemy assault near Vysoke.
In the Orikhiv sector, Russian forces carried out two attacks near Novodanylivka.
In the Prydniprovske sector, no active Russian offensive actions were recorded.
In the Volyn and Polissia sectors, no signs of enemy offensive group formation were spotted.
Ukrainian forces also continued operations in the Kursk sector, where Russia launched 16 airstrikes, dropping 23 guided bombs, conducted 230 shellings, and seven MLRS strikes. Ukrainian defenders repelled 21 Russian assaults in this sector." Ukrin
