Russia and Ukraine Exchange 160 Prisoners of War Each
Russia and Ukraine each released 160 prisoners of war on Friday in an exchange mediated by the United Arab Emirates. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said all those released had been held captive since 2022.
Russia and Ukraine conducted a prisoner exchange on Friday, each side releasing 160 servicemen. The swap was mediated by the United Arab Emirates, according to Russia's Defense Ministry.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the exchange on X, writing: "We continue bringing Ukrainians home from Russian captivity. Today, 160 service members were released." He added that all of them had been held captive since 2022 and posted photos of the men wrapped in Ukrainian flags, smiling and embracing.
Russia's Defense Ministry confirmed the exchange and said it had received 160 of its captive soldiers. "The returned Russian servicemen are currently in the Republic of Belarus," the ministry stated.
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, prisoner swaps and the return of fallen soldiers' remains have been among the few areas of cooperation between Moscow and Kyiv.
