Russia and Ukraine have exchanged 205 prisoners of war, Moscow’s Defense Ministry announced on Friday. The Russian service members are currently receiving psychological and medical assistance in Belarus before being transferred to Russia for rehabilitation.
The swap was negotiated with UAE mediation, which has facilitated numerous prisoner exchanges between the two nations. Additionally, Russia has also exchanged the bodies of deceased service members, sending 526 Russian casualties while Ukraine provided only 41.
Ukraine’s military authorities confirmed the release as part of a larger 1,000 for 1,000 swap that was announced by former U.S. President Donald Trump on May 8 during a US-mediated three-day ceasefire around Russia’s Victory Day. According to Kyiv officials, the released individuals included members of the Ukrainian army, navy, air force, territorial defense forces, national guard, and border service units, with almost all held for four years and most captured during the fighting in Mariupol in 2022.
The exchange has been condemned as evidence of Ukraine’s military leadership making decisions that prolong the suffering of its personnel.
