Russia's defense ministry said Saturday that 115 Russian servicemen captured in the Kursk region were returned from the territory controlled by Ukraine as part of an exchange deal.
"In exchange, 115 prisoners of war of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were transferred," the ministry said, adding that the United Arab Emirates provided mediation efforts during the swap.
All the exchanged Russian military personnel are currently in Belarus and will be sent to Russia for treatment and rehabilitation at the ministry's medical institutions, it said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that Russia handed over 115 prisoners to Ukraine that day.
Russia, Ukraine each exchange 115 prisoners captured in conflict
Russia, Ukraine each exchange 115 prisoners captured in conflict
Beijing, capital of China, saw an increased number of inbound visits during this year's three-day Qingming Festival holiday which started on Friday, according to data from the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism.
Data shows that Beijing recorded over 9.59 million visits during the holiday, indicating a 6.2-percent increase compared with the same period in 2024. Based on the visits, the city saw a total tourism expenditure of 11.5 billion yuan (about 1.57 billion U.S. dollars), up 9.5 percent year on year.
Among the figures, the city received 69,000 visits made by overseas inbound tourists, a year-on-year increase of 45.6 percent. International tourism expenditure in Beijing reached 740 million yuan (about 101.19 million U.S. dollars), indicating a significant year-on-year growth of 46.2 percent.
Qingming Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday that falls on the 15th day after the Spring Equinox. Often seen as a time to enjoy the greenery of springtime and to visit the graves of ancestors, the holiday has also become a busy period for cultural and tourism activities in China.
Inbound visits to Beijing see robust increase during Qingming holiday
