Ukraine Releases 150 Russian Soldiers, Russia Frees 189 Ukrainians In Prisoner Swap

Kyiv: Russia and Ukraine have successfully exchanged prisoners of war in a recent swap, with hundreds of captives being freed. The exchange, which involved the release of both military personnel and civilians, was mediated with the help of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that 189 Ukrainian prisoners were released. This included soldiers, border guards, national guards, and two civilians. Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to the UAE for playing a key role in negotiating the exchange.

On the Russian side, the country’s Defence Ministry reported that 150 Russian soldiers were freed. The swap was carried out as part of a broader agreement in which each side released an equal number of prisoners, though there was a slight discrepancy in the reported numbers.

The reason for the difference in the number of released captives was not immediately clear.

“We are working to free everyone from Russian captivity,” Zelenskyy said in a statement. “We do not forget anyone.” He posted pictures of Ukrainian soldiers sitting on a bus, some holding the country's blue-and-yellow flags.

Zelenskyy said that those freed from Russian captivity included defenders of the Snake Island off the Black Sea port of Odesa, which was seized by Russia in the opening days of its invasion, as well as troops who defended the city of Mariupol, that was captured by Moscow's forces early in the war after a nearly three-month siege.

“The return of our people from Russian captivity is always very good news for each of us,” Zelenskyy said. “And today is one of those days: our team managed to return 189 Ukrainians home.” In Moscow, the Defence Ministry said that Russian servicemen were first taken to the territory of Russia's neighbour and ally Belarus, where they received “psychological and medical assistance” before moving to Russia.

Russia and Ukraine have conducted dozens of such prisoner exchanges during the nearly three-year war.

The prisoner exchange came as President Joe Biden announced Monday that the United States will send nearly USD 2.5 billion more in weapons to Ukraine as his administration works quickly to spend all the money it has available to help Kyiv fight off Russia before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.