Russia and Ukraine each announced Wednesday the exchange of 150 prisoners of war, marking a rare instance of cooperation between the two nations amid nearly three years of conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the return of 150 Ukrainian soldiers, stating that some had been held in captivity for over two years. In a social media post, Zelensky shared images of freed troops, many wrapped in Ukrainian flags, as they traveled home. He did not comment on the release of Russian prisoners.
Russia’s Defense Ministry also confirmed the exchange, reporting that 150 Russian soldiers had been repatriated from Ukrainian captivity. The ministry stated that the soldiers were undergoing medical evaluations in Belarus before returning to Russia.
Both Kyiv and Moscow credited the United Arab Emirates for mediating the exchange, as it has done in previous prisoner swaps.
