Russia and Ukraine Exchange 386 Prisoners of War in Major Swap

Moscow. Ukraine and Russia, long embroiled in conflict, conducted a major exchange of prisoners of war on Friday. Both sides confirmed the release of 193 soldiers and security personnel each.

The United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) acted as facilitators in this humanitarian effort. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his joy on Telegram over the return of his citizens, describing the process as highly significant.

According to him, those returning include members of the military, border guards, and police officers. Among the returnees, some are injured, while others had faced criminal charges in Russia. Both Ukraine's intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov and the Russian Ministry of Defense acknowledged the assistance of the US and the UAE in this complex process.

The prisoners returning to Ukraine appeared visibly emotional as they stepped off the buses. Many were tearful as they returned home draped in their national flag. Serhiy, a soldier who had been in Russian captivity for three years, said he still could not believe he had returned home, adding that seeing the sky and trees of his own country was true happiness.

In the four years of ongoing war, both countries have repeatedly exchanged prisoners. Thousands of prisoners of war have been exchanged previously.