Ukraine, Russia stage biggest prisoner swap of the war
Ukraine and Russia have exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war in the largest swap since the Kremlin invaded Ukraine in February 2022, according to officials. It is reported by Upmp.news with reference to “Polskie Radio”.
Ukraine and Russia exchanged POWs on Wednesday, in the first official swap since August, news outlets reported.
Officials in Kyiv said 230 Ukrainian prisoners had been released, including serving members of the armed forces, the national guard and the border guard.
In exchange, Ukraine released 248 Russian POWs, under a deal mediated by the United Arab Emirates, British broadcaster the BBC reported.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said that many of the freed Ukrainian POWs had fought and were captured on Snake Island and in Mariupol, suggesting they had been in Russian captivity for almost two years.
In December, Ukraine said it had so far secured the release of some 2,598 people from Russian captivity over 48 exchanges, BBC reported.
Some of the previously freed Ukrainian POWs have said they had been subjected to torture by the Russians, including beatings and electric shocks, according to news outlets.
Thursday is day 680 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
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