Ukrainian police have attributed a recent series of explosions at military draft offices to Russian intelligence agencies. These incidents, which have targeted recruitment centers, are seen as part of an effort by Russia to destabilize the situation in Ukraine. In parallel, Ukraine and Russia have successfully exchanged 300 prisoners of war. This exchange involved 150 prisoners from each side and was facilitated by the United Arab Emirates, which has mediated several similar deals.

An explosion occurred near a military recruitment center in the western Ukrainian city of Kamianets-Podilskyi on Wednesday, according to local police, although they did not provide further details. Sergii Tiurin, the head of the Khmelnytsky Regional State Administration, confirmed that one person was killed and four others were injured in the blast.

Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne reported, citing its sources, that the person killed was a civilian who had brought the explosive device to the site.

As Ukraine faces a manpower shortage, the country has been working to replenish the ranks of its military, which continues to struggle against Russian forces. However, there has been diminishing enthusiasm for military service among the population.

The attack in Kamianets-Podilskyi is the latest in a series of violent incidents targeting recruitment offices or conscription officers in recent days. These attacks have included a fatal shooting and two other explosions. On Saturday, a blast at a recruitment center in Rivne, a city in northwest Ukraine, resulted in one fatality and six injuries.

Ukraine’s national police chief, Ivan Vyhivskyi, attributed the series of explosions to Russian intelligence agencies. He said, "We clearly understand, together with the Security Service of Ukraine, that this is a specific attack by the special services of the Russian Federation to destabilize the situation." Vyhivskyi also noted that three out of nine incidents of sabotage and terrorism had involved attempts on the lives of police officers.

In other developments, Ukraine successfully brought home 150 troops from Russian captivity, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported. "Some of these men have been in captivity for over two years," Zelenskyy wrote on X. Russia confirmed the prisoner exchange, stating that 150 Russian servicemen were returned. Both sides acknowledged that the deal was facilitated by the United Arab Emirates, which has served as an intermediary for numerous exchanges.

In an interview aired Tuesday, President Zelenskyy estimated that the death toll for Ukraine in the ongoing war with Russia had reached 45,100, with 390,000 wounded. The Russian death toll was placed at 350,000, with an additional 600,000 to 700,000 wounded.