Kyiv [Ukraine], November 16 (ANI): Russia claimed it has seized control of two more villages in southern Ukraine, while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv is hoping for 'the resumption of POW exchanges' that could return 1,200 Ukrainian captives.

Zelenskyy wrote on X, 'We are ... counting on the resumption of POW exchanges,' adding that 'many meetings, negotiations and calls are currently taking place to ensure this.' Ukraine is working to restart prisoner exchanges with Russia a day after the country's national security chief reported progress in talks, Euro News reported.

https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1989946760052031930?s=20

Rustem Umerov, Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, said he held consultations mediated by Turkey and the United Arab Emirates on resuming the swaps. He said both sides agreed to reactivate prisoner exchange agreements brokered in Istanbul to release 1,200 Ukrainians, though Moscow did not immediately respond to the claim, according to Euro News.

The Istanbul agreements, drawn up with Turkish mediation in 2022, set rules for large, coordinated prisoner exchanges. Since then, Russia and Ukraine have traded thousands of prisoners, though exchanges have been irregular.

Umerov said technical talks would be held soon to finalise procedural and organisational details, expressing hope returning Ukrainians could 'celebrate the New Year and Christmas holidays at home -- at the family table and next to their relatives.'

Ukraine's State Emergency Service said Russian drone strikes overnight damaged energy infrastructure in the Odesa region, including a solar power plant. Ukraine continues to struggle against Russian aerial attacks that have caused rolling blackouts across the country as winter nears, Euro News reported.

The combined missile and drone strikes come as Ukraine works to hold back a Russian push to capture the eastern stronghold of Pokrovsk.

The Russian Defence Ministry said on Telegram that its forces had taken control of Rivnopillia and Mala Tokmachka in the Zaporizhzhia region, after earlier claiming the capture of two other settlements, Euro News noted.

According to Ukraine's Armed Forces, Russia has launched 1,217 drone and missile attacks on Ukraine since Sunday 9 November.

Ukraine's air force said Russia fired 176 drones and one missile overnight, and that Ukrainian forces shot down or neutralised 139 drones.

The drones struck 14 locations and were launched from Kursk, Oryol, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk and Chauda in Crimea.

Energy facilities were targeted in Odesa, including a solar power plant where fires were quickly contained, according to Odesa regional head Oleh Kiper.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy said recovery efforts were ongoing in Kharkiv, Odesa, Dnipro, Chernihiv and Sumy.

Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces shot down 57 Ukrainian drones overnight.

Authorities in Russia's Volgograd and Voronezh regions reported repelling drone strikes on the night of 16 November, according to statements shared via their administrations' Telegram channels. (ANI)