KYIV, Ukraine — Russia and Ukraine exchanged more long-range drone attacks that have become a staple of the more than three-year war, officials said Friday, as Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow is ready for a fresh round of direct peace talks in Istanbul.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was ready for a new round of peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, although the location and time of

Putin told reporters in Minsk that the two sides' negotiators were in constant contact. Russia was ready to return the bodies of 3,000 more Ukrainian soldiers, he said. (Reporting by Vladimir SoldatkinWriting by Maxim RodionovEditing by Mark Trevelyan)

Russia’s Defence Ministry said Friday that it had received another group of released Russian servicemen as part of a prisoner swap agreed with Ukraine during peace talks in Istanbul on June 2.

Prisoner swops were agreed at peace talks in Turkey earlier this month. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Russia launched its “most massive airstrike” on Ukraine since the start of the war as part of an escalating bombing campaign, dashing hopes of a ceasefire. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.