Russia reported on Friday that its forces have carried out seven cluster strikes against energy facilities used by Ukrainian military-industrial enterprises and Ukrainian military infrastructure over the past week, while Ukraine said on the same day that 136 combat engagements occurred in the frontline areas over the past day.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in its daily report that the Black Sea Fleet destroyed eight Ukrainian unmanned surface vessels, while its air defense systems shot down over 2,000 Ukrainian drones over the past week.
Additionally, Russian forces gained control of eight settlements in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, and Sumy regions, the ministry said.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported Ukrainian forces were thwarting Russian attempts to advance deeper into Ukraine.
Ukrainian air forces, missile units, and artillery had struck targets including Russian troop assembly areas, drone control points, and military equipment depots, shooting down over 1,600 Russian drones, the Ukrainian side said.
Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine exchanged 500 prisoners each on Thursday and Friday.
The returned Russian servicemen are currently in Belarus, where they are receiving psychological and medical assistance, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.
Russia's presidential aide, Vladimir Medinsky, said the prisoner swap on Thursday and Friday was conducted as part of the agreements reached in Geneva, Switzerland.
The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War announced on social media on Thursday that Russia released the first 200 Ukrainian servicemen on the day, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday that another 300 Ukrainian servicemen and two civilians returned to Ukraine that day.
The two-day negotiations, held in Geneva on Feb 17-18, were the third round of trilateral talks this year among Russia, Ukraine, and the United States.
Russia claims cluster strikes against Ukraine, Ukraine reports halting Russian military advances
